


Heart of a Demon

by WhirlwindWolf94



Series: Heart of a Demon [1]
Category: Biker Mice From Mars
Genre: Biker Mice From Mars - Freeform, F/M, How Do I Tag, Not a Clue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 19:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 41,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16373513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhirlwindWolf94/pseuds/WhirlwindWolf94
Summary: An old friend thought long-dead returns. But is she really the same sweet little girl she used to be? What has Karbunkle been doing to her all these years? Did she make it out unscathed? Keep reading and find out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost from my DA account, buddygoogle. Please don't spam me about it being posted here. Once is fine.

_Throttle_

  
"What are _you_ doing here?" I heard Vinnie ask when he answered the door.

  
It's been two years since the war on Mars ended and my bros and I were able to come home. It took some time for Charley to adjust, but she's made herself at home. We've all been helping to rebuild what was destroyed by the Plutarkians and progress was being made. Things were slowly getting back to the way they were before the war. Except for one thing. The distance, emotional strains, and political choices put a major strain on my relationship with Carbine. To be blunt, she dumped me. Explosively. I'm not going into details. Long story short, we've avoided each other since then.

  
Until now, that is.

  
"Vincent. I need to talk to you and the others. That means you, too, Charlene." Carbine stated, just waltzing into our living room.

  
What did I ever see in this girl? Uptight and snarky, she's totally different from how she was when we were younger. But. . . She's bothered by something. She's gnawing on her lip, grinding the toe of her boot into the floor, and grasping a package in her hands nervously. Wait, package?

  
"What's goin' on here, Carbine?" I asked, leaning on the doorframe.

  
"Throttle." she greeted me.

  
Ugh. Cold as ever.

  
"C'mon, Carbine, tell us what's up." Charley said, sitting on the couch.

  
"One of my soldiers was on patrol this morning when he came across a Plutarkian messenger. He had this in his satchel. It was addressed to you, Throttle." she said, holding up the envelope.

  
It did have my name on it. But. . .

  
"You opened it already." I said, taking the thing.

  
"Of course I did! It could've been a lis- bomb for all we knew."

  
I caught that. She's still stuck on that whole propaganda ploy that convinced everyone we were traitors. Paranoid little. . . Wait.

  
"Hey, this is. . . No." I said as I tipped the contents of the envelope into my palm.

  
It was a necklace. A simple silver rope necklace. I knew this necklace. I looked at the clasp. Yep. "925 Italy" was stamped onto the clasp link. This was my mothers necklace. But I haven't seen this in over twelve years. When I was thirteen, I gave it to. . . Oh Momma.

  
**Flashback!**

  
_We were ten and eight when Vinnie, Modo, and I met her. Stoker called the three of us to the park, saying he had a surprise for us. He was our babysitter for a few years and now our mentor in all things motorcycles. He was our hero. When he said he had a surprise for us, we got excited right away. His surprises were always thrilling, like a ride on a new bike or a trip to the huge smooth crater we called "The Rink" for a thrill ride. So we couldn't get to the park fast enough. We found him sitting on the slide._

  
_"Yo, Stokes! Where's the surprise?!" Vinnie yelled out, rushing ahead._

  
_"Vincent, slow down! My momma always says 'look where you're running before you can't look at all!'" Modo chided, shaking his head._

  
_"You sure you got that right, bro? Coulda sworn it was 'watch where you're going, you little hellion!'" I said with a smirk._

  
_He bopped me on the head. Anyway, we reached Stoker and Vinnie. Our little bro was fidgeting on the spot, eager for the surprise. Stoker just smiled gently and ruffled his head._

  
_"Easy, little guy. Todays surprise is a little different this time. No bikes, not stunts, and no booms." he said, motioning for us to line up._

  
_"Huh? Then what is it?" Vinnie asked, his ears drooping in confusion._

  
_Modo and I were in the same boat. If it wasn't something thrilling, what was it? We got the answer a second later._

  
_"It's okay, sweetheart. Come on out, they're friends of mine." Stoker said so something behind the slide, holding out his hand._

  
_A tiny, hesitant hand reached out and grabbed Stokers. Hesitantly, as if this was the most frightening thing in the world, a little girl walked out from behind the slide. She was tiny, about half a head shorter than me. Her fur was ink-black, shining blue in the light. Her hair was only a shade or two lighter, hanging in her face and draping down her back to her seat. But that didn't register with me until later. The only thing I could see at the moment were her eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. Huge, deep-set almond-shaped spheres with the most stunning blue irises in the world. She was clinging to Stokers pant leg now._

  
_"Now, Whirlwind, there's no need to be afraid of them. I've told you about these little gremlins, remember? Whirlwind, this is Vincent, Modoom, and Throttle." Stoker said, patting her head and gesturing to us in turn, "Guys, this is my niece, Whirlwind. Come say hello."_

  
_We looked at each other and approached. She shrank back further. This was confusing. She was so shy. We looked at Modo, this was his area of expertise. He could calm a wild boar if he needed to. He smiled and bent down slightly to get to her eye-level._

  
_"Hey there, Whirlwind, I'm Modo. You're Stokers niece?" he said sweetly._

  
_She nodded._

  
_"That's awesome! Your uncle is the best, ain't he? He's so cool! If you're his niece, that means you're cool, too, right?"_

  
_She shook her head in the negative._

  
_"Aw, come on! My momma always says 'always act like you're wearing an invisible crown.' You got yours on?"_

  
_She shook her head._

  
_"Well, we're gonna have to get you a new one! We can help with that if you'll let us. Come on, little missy. We're your friends." Modo reached out his hand._

  
_She looked him in the eyes for a second, searching. Slowly, as if something was holding her back, she reached for Modo's hand. The big guy dwarfed her, but he held her hand like it was made of glass. Her lips twitched into an almost-smile. With Stoker following behind her, she let Modo walk her over to us._

  
_"Hi there, Whirlwind. I'm Throttle. It's nice to meet you." I said, holding out my hand for a shake._

  
_She took it gingerly, and shook. Her hands were so soft. And did I mention she was tiny? She's probably around seven or eight. Around Vinnies age._

  
_"Hey there, sweetheart, I'm Vinnie! Aka, the coolest mamma-jamma on Mars!" Vincent said, polishing his nails on his fur._

  
_She snorted a laugh. She looked up at Stoker, as if asking permission._

  
_"Go on, Hon. You don't need permission to speak to people." he said, patting her head._

  
_. . ._

  
_"Hello. I'm Whirlwind. It's nice to meet you." she said softly._

  
_Her voice was sweet, lilting. But still shy._

  
_"That's great, Whirlwind! You're doing great. Guys, I want you to take her under your wings. She's been having trouble making friends, and we can't have a ten-year-old without a best friend or three, can we?" Stoker said, kneeling down._

  
_She was ten?!_

  
_"Nine-and-a-half, Uncle. I won't be ten until December." she said, pinching his nose._

  
_"Oh, excuse me, Princess, nine-and-a-half. Either way, you need to make some friends. Get you out of the house a few days of the week. C'mon, you have to admit one thing. They are kinda cute." he teased, pinching her sides._

  
_"EEP! Uncle!" she laughed._

  
_That started our friendship. It took a week to get her out of her shell. She was still shy in public, but she was smiling brightly every day. We started calling her "Sis." She even started opening up about her family. Well, most of her family. She loved her grandparents. Surge and Poppy were her maternal grandparents and they loved her. We met them once, real nice people. And she had a little sister, who she adored. The look on her face as she spoke about her told that clearly. Strangely enough, she didn't mention her parents much. Whenever we pointed this out, she would either change the subject or pretend to trip so we'd drop the topic._

  
_Until one day I found her in one of the tunnels at the park three years after we met her. I was just walking around, enjoying the rare peace of the day when I hear crying from the tunnel. There she was, huddled in the tube trying to muffle her sobs. I rushed over to her immediately, fear making my fur stand on end._

  
_"Whirlwind! What happened, what's wrong?" I asked, crouching down and tilting her face up to look at me._

  
_She didn't have to answer. I saw the sheen of blood on her face. She was hurt. I quickly took out my bandana and dabbed at her face. Yep. Bleeding. She cringed as I dabbed at the cut across her right eye._

  
_"Holy crap, Sis, what happened to you? Who did this?" I asked, anger boiling in my blood._

  
_"Nothing, really. Just the usual bullies picking on me because of my fur. Nothing I'm not used to." she said in a small voice, swiping under her nose._

  
_"Bullshit." I said, angry now._

  
_I didn't swear often, but I was so mad, I didn't care if I had to eat a bar of soap later. Someone had hurt my friend, and she was just shrugging it off! Why, though? Her fur? Who cares about that?!_

  
_"It's an old superstition." she said, sensing my thoughts._

  
_"What?"_

  
_"A mouse born with fur black as ink is said to be a demon. I'm starting to think it's true."_

  
_"What?! Whirlwind, don't say that! You're not a demon, you're just a kid! More than that, you're our friend! Don't let anyone make you think any different." I said, brushing her hair out of her face._

  
_She didn't believe me. She knew that was what I thought, but she didn't believe it herself. She didn't have a shred of confidence in her. I had to fix that. But how? I sighed, wishing my mom was here. She was the most confident person I had ever known. . . Wait. . . Got it!_

  
_"Whirlwind, stay here, I'll be right back!" I said, patting her shoulders before running off._

  
_I didn't have to wait for her affirmative, I knew she'd stay. And I knew she would benefit from what I had in store. I got home, rushed through the door, ignored my brothers' shouts at me leaving the door open, and raced to the one room that stayed closed. Moms room. She died when I was small, so I don't remember that much about her. But I do remember her always holding her head up high, confidence swelling in her eyes. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Inside hadn't changed. My brothers and I never went in here. But this was for my friend. I went to moms vanity and opened the jewelry box. There it was. Her favorite necklace, a simple silver rope necklace._

  
_I held it for a second, remembering it laying on moms collarbone. She had a dozen necklaces, each one with sparkly or shiny crystals on it, but she loved this one the most. She never had the chance to tell me why, but she loved it. I left the room and headed back out, my brothers shouting after me again. I was going to be grilled and teased about this for ages, but this was going to help someone in need. That's what she would've wanted. I got back to the tunnel. Yep. Still there._

  
_"Whirlwind! Here, take a look at this!" I said, holding out the necklace._

  
_"It's pretty. What's it for?" she asked, looking at it closely._

  
_"This was my moms favorite necklace. She was the most confident person I knew, her head was always held high. She was always wearing this. Maybe if you wear it, that confidence will rub off on you. Here."_

  
_"What?! Throttle, no, I can't take your moms necklace!" she protested._

  
_"Yes you can. I'm giving it to you. Here, hold still."_

  
_I kneeled beside her and fastened the necklace around her neck. It was a perfect fit and the contrast between it and her fur was stunning. She looked like she was about to cry again and I held up my hand, pinky sticking up._

  
_"Promise me you will never think of yourself as anything less than an awesome person. You have to swear that you will always have confidence in yourself and whatever you do." I said, my eyes boring into hers._

  
_"Yes. I promise, Throttle. And I promise that I will take care of this necklace and never take it off." she said, linking her pinky with mine._

  
_She kept her promise. She even wore it on her thirteenth birthday, which we helped Stoker set up as a bike stunt party. And she smiled every day, keeping her head held high. It allowed her to finally complete the triple backflip bike stunt she'd been working on for a year. She was so proud of herself that day. The light shining from her eyes made my heart soar._

**End Flashback!**

That was the last time I ever saw her.

  
She went missing that night. We heard from Stoker that her parents never saw her come in that night. We searched for her until the war grew too intense. We were Freedom Fighters and we had to protect our home. But she always remained in the backs of our minds. Now I was holding the necklace I gave her almost twelve years ago.

  
"Recognize that?" Carbine asked, her voice tight.

  
"Where is she? Did he say?" I asked quietly.

  
"Not yet. I thought you might want to do the honors. I wanted to, but I blew up when I saw that."

  
"Why? What was Whirlwind to you?" Vinnie asked, crossing his arms.

  
"What do you mean? Did she never men- Oh. Yeah. She wasn't allowed to mention her relation to me." she muttered, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.

  
"What do you mean by that?" Modo asked, his eye glowing ever so slightly.

  
. . .

  
"She's my older sister."


	2. Chapter 2

_Throttle_

  
" _You're_ her little sister?!" Vinnie exclaimed, looking at Carbine as if she had just grown a second head.

  
Couldn't blame him, though. It was hard to believe they were related let alone sisters. Whirlwind was sweet, kind, and genuine with her emotions. Carbine was. . . not. Wait a minute. . .

  
"Carbine, what did you mean by she wasn't allowed to talk about her relation to you?" I asked, dreading the answer.

  
"Well. . . Our parents weren't really the best there was. In truth, they treated her like shit. She wasn't exactly planned and they didn't want a kid at the time. Mom even took up smoking to try and force a miscarriage. Didn't happen. And when she came out with ink-black fur, they couldn't deal with it. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, she didn't end up in an orphanage or on the streets, but they took their bad moods out on her. I remember when I was a toddler, I broke our mom's favorite China doll and she got the punishment. And they weren't light-handed." Carbine recited, her arms folded across her chest.

  
"What? But she was such an angel, how could she hide this?" Modo asked, shaking his head.

  
"She blamed it on bullies." I muttered, remembering the day I gave her this necklace, "Her parents would beat her up and she'd say she was being bullied by bigger kids. She never said anything about her parents. Why?"

  
"She didn't want us to be split up. For some reason I can't fathom, she adored me. She knew that if she told anyone about the abuse, we'd be taken away from them and probably separated. She was always protecting me." Carbine said sadly.

  
"So you caused someone pain, huh? What else is new?" Vinnie spat, pacing.

  
"Not the time, Vincent. Come on, we need to get some answers." I said, carefully placing the necklace in one of my belt pockets.

  
And we were off. I had never had such a solemn ride. Usually, the feeling of riding through the streets on my bike was a freeing sensation, but now I was weighed down by a feeling of dread. It's been twelve years since we've seen her. For years, we thought she was dead, a victim of the war. But now that there's a chance she's alive, we were determined to see her back safe at home. But what's been done to her? Twelve years as a captive or something worse. . . Would she still be the same Whirlwind we all fell in love with? Ack! Can't think about that. We got to the station. After parking our bikes out front, we headed in.

  
A hush fell over those inside the building. They all looked at us, faces ranging from righteous expectation to apprehension, to downright fear. Carbine led us to the very back of the building, where the interrogation rooms were. There he was. The Plutarkian they captured with the envelope. He was cuffed and wearing a suit developed to keep their stench in. He looked irritated. With a nod to my bros, we entered the room.

  
"So you're the Biker Mice?" he said, bored.

  
"Yeah. And you have our friend. My patience is tissue-paper thin right now, so I'll get to the point. Where is she? Is she alive?" I asked, leaning on the table.

  
"Heh. Yeah, she's alive. Stubborn little runt refuses to die. Pain in the ass. Claws and teeth like razors. She's in an abandoned silo on Earth in a city called Chicago. Karbunkle should still be there. Who else could've sent the necklace? Anyway, I've got the coordinates for the silo. He wants you to come, you know. I'm not gonna fight, I know what you're capable of. Would've given the info to that Carbine chick, but she threw me to the wall when she opened the envelope. That's a federal offense, you know, Officer lady. Opening someone else's mail. The irony makes me smile, really."

  
She was alive. That's all we needed to hear. He gave us the coordinates and we left the room. Carbine looked like she had just been trying to pull open a push door.

  
"That's it?! He just gave you what you needed? Ugh!" she groaned, shaking her head.

  
"We have better people skills." I said flatly.

  
She glared at me for that.

  
"We don't have time to argue, guys. We need to get back to Earth and get her back." Charley said, sensing the tension.

  
"It's a trap, you know." Carbine muttered.

  
"Who cares? Our friend is in trouble and we're going to save her." Vinnie said, bristling.

  
"Yeah, we've thought she was dead for the longest time, Miss Carbine. We're not going to give up the chance to see her again." Modo added, fist clenched.

  
Heh. The big guy was a perfect gentleman, always polite to ladies, but he's said that Carbine is the only woman he's ever wanted to punch.

  
"We're going, Carbine. Come on, bros." I said, my hand gripping the pocket the necklace was in.

  
We headed back out. It was only when we got to our bikes that I noticed that Carbine had stopped at the doors.

  
"What's wrong? Scared to go back to Earth?" I called back, crossing my arms.

  
"I'm not going." she stated, leaning on the doorframe.

  
"WHAT?!" We all shouted, aghast.

  
"This is your sister we're talking about! Why would you pass up the chance to get her back?" I shouted, mortified.

  
How could she. . . Oh, wait. I know what's coming.

  
"I have duties to the mice of Mars, Throttle. I can't just abandon them on a whim." she said, shaking her head again.

  
"This is your sister! Your family! F-A-M-I-L-Y! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!" Vinnie yelled, fuming.

  
"I have responsibilities to the citizens of our planet." she said.

  
"You have a responsibility to your sister, too! And that should come before everything else!" Modo was mad now, his eye was glowing.

  
"Don't waste your breath, bros. We all know she doesn't really care. Otherwise, she'd already be halfway there. Just didn't think that extended to her own sister." I said, putting my helmet on and starting my bike.

  
We didn't wait around for her response. We booked it to the nearest ship and set the coordinates. As the ship started up, I paced around the bridge, looking at the necklace in my hands. It was a little dull with age, a single strand of hair stuck in the clasp, but otherwise still looked the same. She took care of it. I can remember her face, split into a brilliant smile, as I told her about what I could remember about my mother. My mother died wearing this necklace. I wasn't about to let let this become a curse. As we flew through space on our way back home, I was running different questions through my mind. What is she going to be like now? Would she still have the same smile? The same laugh? The same spark in her beautiful blue eyes? But one question dominated my mind and made my heart freeze in my chest.

  
What has Karbunkle been doing to her?


	3. Chapter 3

_Throttle_

  
It took us two days to get back to Earth. Two days. At full speed. None of us got any sleep. When we finally landed in Chicago, we were itching to get moving. We hopped on our bikes and headed right to the siloh. Abandoned seemed to be an understatement. It was falling apart.

  
"Well, what're we waiting for, bros? Let's get our girl!" Vinnie said, revving his bike.

  
"I know where you're coming from, bro, but we need to keep our heads. Karbunkle sent the necklace with that creep. That means he's expecting us. He'll be ready for us." I said, gritting my teeth.

  
I really did know where Vincent was coming from. I wanted to charge in there, get her back. But I couldn't risk both me and my bros' lives. Even Charley was with us, bringing her tricked-out bike out of retirement. But part of me was dreading what we were going to find. What's Karbunkle been doing to her all these years? Was she still going to be the same Whirlwind we knew then? Bah! No. I've gotta keep my head here. We're going in.

  
"Alright, let's do this. He may be ready for us, but we're ready for anything he can throw our way." I said, holding out my fist.

  
"Let's give that creep a refresher course in tail-kicking!" Vinnie exclaimed, adding his fist.

  
"Yeah, we'll show him what happens when you mess with our lil' sis!" Modo added, joining us.

  
"We ready to do this thing?" Charley asked, her fist joining ours.

  
"You bet we are! C'mon, Bikers! Let's rock-"

  
"AND RIDE!"

  
With that, we burst through the side of the silo. Woah. The outside of the thing may have been crap, but the inside was far from it. Machinery lined the perimeter as well as all the way up. And there, on a catwalk overlooking the area, was the scientist. He had that shit-eating grin he always wore when things were going his way. Ugh. Still can't get the image of that face as he scooped my eyes out of my head out of my mind. But all I saw now was Whirlwind. At the mercy of this madman.

  
"So good of you mice to join me! A bit late, don't you think?" he called, his squeaky voice echoing off the walls.

  
"Spare us the pleasantries, Karbunkle! Where is she?!" I shouted, staring him down.

  
"Oh, all in good time, my furry little friends. But first, let me introduce you to my latest invention!" he replied, pressing a button on a panel.

  
A hidden door in the floor suddenly opened and we heard the screech of an elevator. Woah. On the elevated platform was a robot. But this one was different from the ones he's made in the past. It had a female body, for one. And a helmet. Just a helmet, no facial features at all. It looked more like someone wearing a suit of armor than an actual robot. And the bike. . . Why did it look familiar? It looked like a Suzuki Boulevard C50. But with metal panels stuck on it. We didn't have too much time to take it all in, though. It shot at us, just barely missing my head.

  
"Alrighty bros, let's give this robo a taste of what the Biker Mice can do! Oh, and you, too, Charley-girl." I said, giving the signal for the "coon trap."

  
We circled the 'bot and shot our grappling hooks. If the move worked, the ropes would wrap the target up and render them immobile. This one did not work. The 'bot activated the jets on its bike and shot out of the way. How-- Never mind. It did a triple-flip and landed perfectly on the front tire of its bike. Wait. . . That's familiar, too. Gah! Never mind! Work, brain, work! We rode around, shooting at it to no avail for what seemed like ages. But it would always block or counter with the perfect move. And these were brand spankin' new moves. Either Karbunkle's been spying on us, or this thing is smarter than any robot we've ever encountered. We couldn't hit it.

  
Until it blasted Vinnies bike and he went flying. I saw it stiffen as our baby bro hit the floor. Wait. Stiffen? Could robots stiffen? Hold up, it was distracted! I took the chance to fire my pistol. The round hit the 'bots leg and it toppled off the bike. We had it away from its ride and it was hurt. And judging by how much it was bleeding, we could-- Huh? Bleeding? That's blood!

  
"Bros hold your fire! That's no robot, it's a person! No lethal force!" I shouted, holstering my gun.

  
The others got the message and dismounted. Whoever she was, she wasn't going down without a fight. Modo rushed her, attempting to subdue her enough to knock her out. But she just picked him up by his belt and threw him against the wall. This chick was strong. Was it the armor? We had to get it off.

  
"Guys! Use the grapplers and tear that stuff off!" Charley cried, demonstrating by firing her grappler at her.

  
She tore the shin guard clean off. It worked! We followed suit. Of course, Vinnie had to go for the seat. Couldn't that mouse think of any-- What? A tail?! This was a mouse?! Oh, now my blood is boiling. We carried through with the plan. At one point, she grabbed hold of my grappler and sent me flying, bike and all. It was thanks to Modo I didn't turn into wall-pizza. We had about half of the armor off and we could see her clothes. The usual jumpsuit Karbunkle used for his test subjects. We heard the scientist's shouts of dismay each time we removed a piece of the armor, but that only made us double our efforts. Soon, it was just the helmet left.

  
"Alright, bros! Final stretch!" I called, dismounting again.

  
"Got it!" Modo and Vinnie called back, following my lead.

  
"Charley, stay on your bike in case she bolts! Keep an eye on Karbunkle!" Modo said, pointing to the scientist.

  
"Rodger that!"

  
This chick wasn't making this easy. She either dodged or blocked every hit we threw at her. She sent us flying more times than I care to admit. Her strength couldn't be attributed to her armor anymore. But that style brought back little wisps of memories. Vinnie aimed a roundhouse kick at her head. She ducked, which is what he wanted her to do because he spun and crouched, kicking out again. But she caught his leg between her knee and elbow, halting his movements, then grabbed his leg and threw him against the wall. Stoker taught him that move, nobody else knew how to counter it. We just needed to get close enough to get that helmet off.

  
But that slam shifted one of the metal beams at the top of the silo. And that beam was headed straight for Charley. Before any of us could react, the girl we were fighting shot toward Charley. I saw Vinnie struggle to his feet, but he wasn't fast enough. She reached Charley and. . . shielded her from the beam? She was right in front of Charley's bike, her forearm held out keeping the beam from crushing Charley. With a bit of effort, she threw the beam aside and shook her arm out. I saw blood spreading through the fabric of the jumpsuit. This was the chance. While she was distracted, I rushed her and aimed an uppercut at her chin. Bullseye! She went flying, her helmet skittering across the floor. We approached the small form on the floor.

  
And what we saw froze our hearts.

  
We knew that ink-black fur. That onyx hair. The scar on her right eye.

  
"WHIRLWIND!" we shouted, rushing over to her.

  
I couldn't believe it. We almost killed her. No. Karbunke almost made us kill her. I saw Modos eye start to glow red. Vinnie was trembling with rage. And I felt my claws piercing through my gloves into my palms. We were about to stand and face the scientist head on when we heard something. A tiny, almost silent grunt. Whirlwind was stirring. Her face scrunched up and her head shook from side to side. We held our breath as her eyes fluttered open. Thank the gods he hadn't messed with those eyes. They were still the same beautiful shade of blue. She looked around, dazed and obviously unaware of what she had been doing. Then she looked at us each in turn. And I saw the recognition spark in her eyes.

  
"Bros?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Whirlwind_

  
Ugh. Another day, another experiment. How long has it been since I was kidnapped? I was thirteen when it happened, right? Yeah, right after my birthday party with my bros and Uncle Stoker. Some smelly Plutarkian grabbed me and delivered me to this Karbunkle guy. Since then, he's made me his personal lab rat. Ooh, how I had snarled when he called me a rat. Modo wouldn't have stood for it. I didn't at first, but I was just a kid against a room full of robots. I fought, struggled, and spat out everything he shoved down my throat. But it didn't stop him. He made me drink this "elixir" that would heal my wounds. What he didn't count on was that the effects were permanent. Every wound I got from that point on healed within thirty seconds. He took great amusement in testing the extent of those powers.

  
He even cut off my head once. Not to worry, he stuck it back on my neck and it fused back instantly. Didn't stop it from hurting, though. The elixir also gave me freakish strength. I could lift even the biggest computer in this "lab" of his. But I still fought tooth and claw against it. Until he developed that damned helmet. As soon as the thing was on my head, I blacked out and my body was in Karbunkles control. Every now and then, I'd have these flashes of clarity and my instincts would take over. Like when the helmet was in the beta phase and I was forced to demolish an abandoned building. Well, the area just so happened to be a favorite hangout for the local kids. The building came down right toward one of the boys. My mind snapped back to me and I rushed for the kid. He got away unscathed, but that stunt earned me a visit to the ECT table.

  
It's been three years since that incident and the helmet was stronger. He even outfitted a matching suit of armor for me and my bike. Oh, poor Kou, she's been my only link back to my friends. Not literally, but I looked at her and saw the happier days when I was building her with Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie right beside me. She was the best ride in the universe and she had been taken with me into this hell. And I was planning to install a tracking program into her mainframe the next day, too. Not happening right now, of course. She still had an astonishing AI developed by my uncle Stoker, but she was still linked to my mind. And when I was wearing that helmet. . . I hated that part the most.

  
"It's time for another test run, Shadow!" I heard Karbunkle call through the door to my cell.

  
"My name is Whirlwind, you bastard." I said, knowing it wasn't going to do any good.

  
He had tried to change my name in these twelve years. Yeah, that sounds about right. Anyway, he had one of his robogoons come in and grab me. Another one got Kou. Oh momma, if they scratch her paint again, I'll tear them a new one! But I was carried to the room where I would wait until Karbunkle called for me. The first thing he did was put that helmet on me. Of course, I was in total blackness. I couldn't see, hear, or think of what was going on. But I could feel pain. If something hits me, I feel it. Yow! Ugh, they always pinch my tail when they put that armor on me! Ow. Anyway, it's time for the next test run.

  
I didn't know what my body was doing. I knew it couldn't be good if he had me on my bike. But there was nothing I could do about it. I was literally in the dark about what was going on. Until my instincts flashed for the briefest of moments. I could see. Just for a second, I could see a red motorcycle flipping and the driver being knocked to the ground. White fur? No, it couldn't be, could it? Then something hit my right thigh. I tumbled from my bike, the pain flaring up and down my leg as it healed. My vision went black again and I was out of control. A few moments later, my instincts snapped back to life again. My sight zeroed in on a young human woman on a motorcycle. Looking up, I saw one of the support beams falling right for her. I shot toward her without a second thought, didn't even notice my armor was gone. I got in front of her and threw my arm over my head. The beam hit my arm and the woman was safe. But damn, that hurt! I heard my bone crack, felt the blood seep into the fabric of the jumpsuit I was wearing. Now I noticed the absence of the armor.

  
I grunted and pushed the beam aside. I took a second to shake the tingles from my arm before the helmet took control back. Then I saw a tan blur coming right at me. Before I could move to a defense, I felt a solid punch hit me square on the underside of my chin. The helmet came off, sending a zap through my body. I was paralyzed for a moment, aware of what was going on, but I couldn't move or open my eyes. I heard three voices shout my name and footsteps running toward me. Why did those voices sound familiar? They were deeper, but I recognized them. I tried to force my body to move, to open my eyes. I managed to get my head moving and my face scrunching before I felt a strong arm propping me upright. Finally, I managed to open my eyes.

  
I looked to my right. Huge mouse. Deep grey fur, robotic arm, eyepatch, and glowing red eye. Modo. He had both arms and eyes last time I saw him, but it was him. I looked to the figure beside him. White fur, criss-crossed bandoleers, and a flex-plate on his face. Vinnie. I'd know those sincere eyes anywhere. What happened to his face? I looked to the woman by my feet. I didn't know her, but I could tell she was a friend by the way she was hovering around them. She looked worried. Then I looked to my immediate left. Tan fur, black leather vest, sunglasses, and that hair. Throttle. When did he start wearing sunglasses? And when had my bros gotten so big?! Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I found my voice.

  
"Bros?"

  
My voice was weak. That zap must've been stronger than I thought. But I saw the relief in their eyes. Did they think I'd forget them? Or did they think I had been turned into some kind of minion? No. They thought I was dead. Of course they did. I didn't make it home, we had been in the middle of a war, it made sense. Until Karbunkle sent them my necklace. Oh, how I had thrashed and bit at him as he tried to get it off of me. I had kept my promise to never take it off, I didn't want someone like him to touch it. I can imagine what they would've thought when they saw it.

  
"Lil' Sis?" I heard Modo say.

  
"Woah, bro. Puberty hit you hard, didn't it?" I asked, giving him a crooked grin.

  
"Ha! That's our sis! Almost as clever as yours truly." Vinnie boasted, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice.

  
"Still modest as ever, eh?" I said, winking. He laughed.

  
"Yeah, that's our baby bro. How're you feeling, Whirlwind?" Throttle asked, his voice smooth.

  
"About as good as someone who just got zapped by a bolt of lightning. That helmet's no joke. Y'gotta push the button before you can remove it." I said, teasing him.

  
Out of all of them, Throttle had always been the one I got on with the best. I could joke and laugh with him more freely than with Modo or even Vinnie. But he was also the one who cared the most about the rest of us. And I knew by his face that I just put my foot in my mouth.

  
"Throttle, relax. It's alright. I'm fine." I said, sitting up on my own.

  
"You sure? How's your leg?" Modo asked, looking at the rather large blood stain on the leg of the jumpsuit.

  
"Huh? Oh yeah, that hurt. That was a good shot, though, who did that?" I asked, looking at the hole in the fabric.

  
"That was me. Why are you not more concerned about it? And your arm, I heard a crack." Throttle said, taking my arm in his hands gently as if it would break.

  
"It's fine, bro. It's all healed. Before you ask, it was one of his experiments. "Healing elixir" as he called it. It was supposed to work kind of like a potion from Pokémon. You know, drink it and it'll heal your wounds? But the effects turned out to be permanent. My injuries heal almost instantly depending on the severity. So it's all good." I explained, moving to stand up.

  
Woah. Still dizzy. I tottered and they all stepped in to help keep me steady. I laughed.

  
"Bros, come on. I'm fine and when did you get so tall?!" I exclaimed, looking up at them.

  
I was a measly five-foot-two. They towered over me! Even Vinnie was a head taller than me. Even the lady was taller than me, maybe I was just short.

  
"Ha! You're just tiny, sis! Always have been." Vinnie said, pulling me in for a hug.

  
Aw. I missed this. Vinnie was the kind of guy who would act as tough as anyone on the streets, but he never turned down a hug from someone he cared about. They were mostly play, a congratulations for something done well or something like that. But when he had been scared by some stunt or another, they were warm and protective. Like this one. I could tell he had been scared to death for me. He even ruffled my hair when he let go.

  
"Yeah, tiny and adorable, c'mere, Lil' Sis!" Modo said, scooping me up.

  
I laughed as the big guy gave me one of his famous bear hugs. He was the one to go to when you needed some comfort. He was always there, not to cheer you up, but to help you understand why you're feeling down. And how to move past it and make yourself feel better. He was the classic example of a gentle giant. He was always big, but he could handle a baby bunny without even making it nervous. His hugs were always sincere and he made sure to let you know that. He set me back down and nudged my chin with his fist.

  
"Hey, what am I? A hairball?" Throttle asked, pulling me in.

  
Where to start with him? Throttle was always awkward when it came to comforting someone. He wasn't exactly good with words. But when someone he cared for was really feeling down and out, he would be there. Silent and protective, he'd be a shoulder to cry on. He wouldn't ask why, he'd just be there for you. His hugs always made me feel safe and secure. He knew what to do, I didn't need to worry. He was there the time I broke my shoulder trying that triple flip stunt. I was a mess that day, but he was there as the doctors set my shoulder and casted it. He was a rock. My rock. My best friend.

  
Did that sound sappy? Ugh. My mind is still mush. He let me go, brushing the hair out of my face.

  
"Thanks, bros. But you're forgetting something. Are you going to introduce me to your lovely friend here or not?" I asked, smiling at the lady.

  
"Oh, where are our manners? Whirlwind, this lovely babe is Charlene Davidson. Charley-girl, this is our childhood friend, Whirlwind." Vinnie said, gesturing between us in turn.

  
"Just call me Charley. It's great to meet you, Whirlwind, the guys have told me so much about you." she said, stepping up for a handshake.

  
"It's great to meet you, too, Miss Charley. C'mere." I said, giving her a hug, "Thanks for taking care of my boys."

  
"Hey! We can take care of ourselves!" Vinnie exclaimed, pouting.

  
"I'll believe that when I see it." I said, giving him a playful punch to the shoulder.

  
"Hey, how about right now? We still need to give Karbunkle what-for for messin' with our Lil' Sis." Modo said, cracking his knuckles.

  
. . .

  
"Uh. I don't think that's gonna happen. He has a teleporter. He's gone." I said, pointing up to the now empty catwalk.

  
"WHAT?!" they all shouted, mouths dropping open.

  
I laughed. Really? They expected him to just stand there and let us have this warm touchy-feely reunion moment? Nah, he's long gone. But that's not important. That was important was the fact that I was free. My bros had come for me. I was back with them. We had a lot of catching up to do, but I was willing to sit through days of stories if I had to. There was just one thing that was worrying me. One little question that tugged at the back of my mind.

  
Was I still a demon to the people of Mars?


	5. Chapter 5

_Whirlwind_

  
It was kind of surreal, really. I should be jumping and dancing for joy, I was free from the hell I was thrown into for twelve years. Twelve years! Yet I just felt numb. I couldn't muster the energy to feel elated about being free. I just kept thinking about my reception back on Mars. I knew my little sister, Carbine, was in charge now. I knew about everything that was going on here on earth and Mars. Karbunkle never missed an opportunity to gloat. But I was still out of the loop socially. I was always an outcast, how would the rest of Mars react to me now? Not only a messanger of doom, but a newly-freed prisoner of war. I'm bound to have some psychological damage, right? Do I? Well, I'm asking myself a lot of questions, does that count?

  
Right now I just want to get this junk off of my bike. Really, it's a miracle this stuff stays on, it's just magnetized on so it's easy to take back off. It's a wonder that it didn't come flying off at any p-- Oh, Momma!

  
"Motherfffff--! They scratched her!" I shouted after getting the last of the panels off of Kou.

  
"Huh? Oh man. Good for them they're not here now, huh? Don't worry, we'll swing by the Last Chance Garage before we head back to Mars. We'll fix her up." Throttle said, inspecting the damage.

  
"I doubt you guys have this color. I had to make it myself. And I don't feel like changing her color scheme." I said, patting her rich green chassis.

  
"We'll see what we can do. Come on, let's get you out of here." Charley said, beckoning us to follow.

  
"Yeah, just give me a moment. I have a bit of stress-relief to take care of." I said, getting Kou out of the room.

  
The others looked confused for a moment, but cleared out. They stood at the hole they made in the wall, watching. Now, that elixir did more than give me freaky strength and healing powers. And this is something I neglected to show Karbunkle. I'd be a fool if I had shown him everything I could do. But I needed to vent for a bit. I stood in the middle of the room, clearing my mind. I focused on what that doctor did to me for twelve years. The pain, the torture, the experiments, all of it. I heard things around me start to shake. There it is. I let go and everything in the room started to levitate. And then I went nuts. I bashed the computers against the walls, bent the equipment into lumps of metal, thrashed everything together. Once I got most of it out of my system, I piled everything in the middle of the floor. I smelled the machine oil and the petroleum hydraulic fluid leaking all over everything. Perfect.

  
I walked out of the silo and mounted my bike. I smiled at Vinnie.

  
"Hey, bro. Mind if I borrow one of your flares?" I asked.

  
"Uh. Sure, Sis. Why?" he asked, handing me the gadget.

  
Instead of answering, I just lit the flare and tossed it into the pile of machinery. Yep. Petroleum is flammable. There was a huge bang and the whole silo went up in flames. I watched it burn for a few moments, soaking in the fact that it was over. I still couldn't feel that elation, but now I had time to try. I turned on my bike.

  
"Well, you gonna show me that garage or not?" I asked, looking at the bros.

  
"Hoo-wee! Sis, that was incredible! How did you do that?!" Vinnie asked, his eyes wide as saucers.

  
"It was that elixir. It unlocked something in my brain. Now I guess I really am the demon Mars saw me as, eh?" I said, shrugging.

  
"You're not a demon. You're our sis." Throttle said firmly.

  
He was always doing that. I smiled at him and started Kou's engine.

  
"Hold up, Lil' Sis. Where's your helmet?" Modo asked, grabbing my tail.

  
"Huh? I'm not putting that thing back on!" I said, my heart giving a jolt.

  
"No! No, no, Whirlwind. I mean, I'm not letting you go a foot on this bike without a helmet on. Safety first."

  
"Really? I can heal, you know. I'm like Deadpool."

  
"No. Helmet on. Now."

  
I knew there was no arguing with him. He hadn't changed much, still the "parent" of our little group. I chuckled and pulled my old helmet out of the storage compartment under my seat. Heh. Let's hope Stoker was right and I grew into this helmet. Yep. Fit like a glove. I looked back at Modo.

  
"Better?"

  
"Much."

  
I shook my head as we set off. I followed them through the countryside and back into the city. It was still scarred from Limburgers occupation, but it was starting to heal. I followed them through the streets, reveling in the freedom of riding with the wind in my face. It wasn't long before we reached this tiny shop with a sign saying "Last Chance Garage" sitting proudly on top. Charley unlocked the doors and we rode in. Wow. It's been empty for a while. There were spiderwebs in every corner. Vinnie even ran into one.

  
"Gah! Ew! Aw, man, gross!" he shuddered, peeling the sticky stuff off of him. Then he saw the spider itself, "Aaah! Get it off! Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff!"

  
The others laughed. I shook my head and walked over to him. I got him to stay still and scooped the little spider off of his arm. It was a Smiling Spider. Completely harmless. I put the little guy outside. The poor guys face turned cherry red as the others continued to laugh.

  
"Yeah, well. . . Try having it crawling on you." he said, crossing his arms.

  
"Been there, done that, bro." Modo said, patting Vinnies head.

  
"Anyway, come on Whirlwind. Let's get you out of that jumpsuit. I've got some clothes that should fit you." Charlene said, leading me up a ladder into a living area.

  
_Some_ clothes? She had a whole wardrobe here!

  
"Hey! Come down here so we can see!" Throttle shouted up the ladder.

  
"Gotcha!" I called back.

  
"Now, let's see what would look good on you. . ." Charley muttered, going through the clothes, "Man, I haven't seen these clothes in two years. I actually wore these?"

  
"Wow. You don't like them and you're letting me wear them? That's comforting." I said, smirking. She ruffled my hair.

  
"Hey, I like them, but not on me. I hate trying clothes on, so I buy them and wait until I get home to try them on. Not too good if you don't know exactly how a shirt or something will fit."

  
"I. . . didn't understand any of that."

  
She laughed and pulled out three outfits she thought would be suitable. The first one was leather pants with a white tank top.

  
"No." I said, crossing my arms.

  
"Why not? It would look cute."

  
"I have a thing about my shoulders showing. That and I can't wear a bra with it."

  
"What's wrong with that?" Vinnie called up.

  
I threw a pillow down at his face and the others laughed. On to the second outfit. White tee with black shorts that didn't even reach the knee.

  
"Absolutely not."

  
"Huh? Why this time?"

  
"Let me guess: pants too short?" Throttle called up. I could heat the smirk in his voice.

  
"Bingo. By a long shot." I called back.

  
Charley shook her head and brought out outfit number three. A deep green three-quarter sleeved v-neck tee with distressed faded blue jeans. This one wasn't too bad. I tried it on. The clothes fit, just needed a belt for the pants. Which Charley provided.

  
"Wow. I think this is a winner. Here, I found a pair of my old boots. Let's see if they fit." she said, handing me a pair of black riding boots with a tan band around the top.

  
"Ooh. I like these. Who's Tommy Hilfiger?" I asked, slipping my feet into the boots.

  
"Just a big designer. I got these at a garage sale years ago. Never wore them." she said, checking where my toes were in the shoes, "Looks like a good fit. How do they feel?"

  
"They feel great, actually. Can't believe we have the same shoe size since you're taller than me." I said, walking around a bit.

  
"Why?"

  
"Well, your foot size is relative to your height. About seven foot lengths equals your height." I said, instantly dreading it.

  
"This random fact of the day was brought to you by Whirlwind!" Modo said, laughing.

  
"Oh, hush!" I called back.

  
"Come on, Sis! Let us see!" Vinnie yelled.

  
Shaking my head, I made my way down the ladder. The guys each whistled in approval. I rubbed the back of my neck, not exactly used to this scrutiny. Not used to feeling like I had to look good. I'm sure I didn't. I never looked good. It was Throttle's gaze that made me squirm a bit. He was looking at me so intently, I felt like he would bore a hole into my head.

  
"Something's missing." he said, out of the blue.

  
"What?" I asked, my nervous habit of shaking my right wrist coming back in full-force.

  
He had already given me the necklace back, much to my incredible joy. What else could be missing?

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"Got it! Wait here." Throttle said suddenly, heading over to his bike.

  
He opened the compartment under his seat and dug around a bit. How much space was in there? How much junk was in there? But he pulled something out a second later and tossed it to me. It was a lump of light blue denim. I unfolded it to see. . .!

  
"Throttle, this is your favorite vest! I can't take this!" I said, holding the article like a china doll.

  
"Well, it doesn't fit anymore. It should fit you, though. Try it on." he said, nudging my shoulder.

  
"Are you implying that I'm the same size as a thirteen-year-old boy?" I joked, shrugging the vest on. It fit.

  
"That's it. That's our Whirlwind." Throttle said, ruffling my hair again.

  
"Yeah, that look is totally you." Vinnie added, bumping fists with me.

  
"Just need to get your hair up in its old ponytail and it'll be like a blast from the past." Modo said, gathering my ridiculously long hair behind my back. He liked doing that, reminded him of his little sister.

  
"What do you want to do with this?" Charley asked, holding up the jumpsuit.

  
A hush fell over the garage. The very stillness of my figure was enough to make the blood drain from Charley's face. I looked at those rags and saw only the experiments. Those years of endless torture. The shocking, the beatings, the loss of my own free will. Without a word, my mind jerked the article out of Charley's hands and threw it into a pile just outside the garage. I walked over to one of the work tables and grabbed a matchbox. Without saying a thing, I lit a match and threw it into the middle of the fabric. I watched it burn. If only I could burn away those twelve years of torture so easily. But this was a start. Those rags symbolized my captivity. The fact that twelve years of my life were stolen from me. And now they were burning to ashes.

  
I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking around, I saw Throttle looking at me gently. That sounds weird, but Throttle always had a gentle expression when he felt someone needed comfort. Even with those glasses masking his eyes, I could tell he was giving me his most empathetic expression. I smiled weakly and placed my other hand over his. I tried to tell him that I was fine, like I always used to with that gesture. But I could tell he wasn't convinced. None of them were. Even Charley, who I just met, knew that was total bull. This recovery will take some time after all.

  
But with bros like these, I think I can manage.


	6. Chapter 6

_Whirlwind_

  
I was up before the sun the next morning, working on Kou. It took a while, but I finally got the right mixture of pigments to match her original paint job. Those scratches were a thing of the past. Karbunkle didn't really let me do any kind of maintenence on her, knowing that I enjoyed doing it, so she needed quite a few repairs. A new carborator and fanbelt for starters. Long overdue for an oil change. Tread on the tires were bare. She just needed some good old-fashioned TLC. I had all that done within an hour. Now, I was just sitting with her on the roof, watching the sun rise. It looked even better than what I remembered. Being isolated kind of makes you appreciate the little things. Heh. I used to take this kind of stuff for granted back on Mars. Throttle would always drag me outside early in the morning to watch the sunrise. I had always fallen asleep, missing it completely.

  
As if on que, Throttle walked up behind me.

  
"Hey, Sis, what're you doing up so early?" he asked, sitting down next to me.

  
"Had to work on Kou. She needed a lot of love. Couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to stay up and watch the sunrise. Remember when you used to make me watch it back on Mars?" I asked, smirking at him.

  
"Heh. Yeah, I remember. I remember you always falling asleep before you could see anything."

  
"You dragged me out of bed when it was still dark! Why did you do that, anyway?"

  
"Oh, uh. . . Well, I always thought it would cheer you up." he said, blushing.

  
"Huh? What do you mean?"

  
"Well, I know you would always smile around us. You had the brightest smile at times, but I could tell that you were forcing one most of the time. Modo could, too, but he was content to let you work through things yourself and give you some space."

  
"And let me get a full nights sleep? That got me into trouble with my parents a few times, you know."

  
"Yeah, about that. Carbine told us your parents weren't too nice to you when you were a kid. That true?"

  
. . .

  
"She told you that?" I asked, looking at the rooftop in front of my toes.

  
"Well, she actually told us that they treated you like shit. Is that true?" he asked again, leaning forward.

  
. . .

  
"I. . . I'm not really ready to talk about that yet." I was clutching my knees now, my knuckles turning white under my fur.

  
"Alright. It's fine, you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to right now." he said, rubbing my back.

  
I smiled at him for that. He was always like that, supportive but not pushy. If I didn't want to talk about something, he didn't make me. We just sat there watching the sun come up. At one point, I decided to take Modo's advice and pull my hair up like I used to, earning a nod of approval from Throttle. The guys sure liked my hair when we were kids. I didn't understand it, I hated it at times. The only thing I really liked about my hair was my fringe. It hid my face to an extent. But one of them would always be there to brush it aside. They didn't like it when I hid.

  
Speaking of. . .

  
"Hey, what did we keep telling you? There's no need to hide, Sis." Throttle said, brushing my hair aside.

  
"Heh. Old habits are hard to break. Huh? What did you do?" I asked when my hair stayed swept aside.

  
"It's called a hairclip. It keeps your hair out of your face."

  
"You know how to use those?"

  
"Heh. Well. . . I was kinda conned into babysitting a little girl once. She had me play dress-up." he blushed again.

  
I crumbled into a pile of cackles. The thought of him in a pink, sparkly, frilly tutu. . . Ha! It was too much. He grabbed me into a headlock and ruffled my hair again. Well, once the sun was up, we headed back downstairs. On my way down, I slipped on the bottom step and stumbled right into Throttle. His glasses went flying across the ground. Oops.

  
"Oops. Sorry, bro. Hey, you alright?" I asked, confused.

  
He was standing with his arms outstretched, knees bent slightly. His back was still toward me, so I couldn't see his face, but I could see his head moving from side to side. What was going on?

  
"I'm fine, but I need to find my glasses. Can't see without 'em." he said, gingerly getting to his knees and searching the ground.

  
"They're right over here, Throttle, I got 'em." I said, walking over and picking them up.

  
Good, they were unscathed. Huh? There was something on the temples. Some kind of spikes or something. What was up with that?

  
"Got 'em, bro. And why are there spikes on the temples?" I asked, walking back over to him.

  
"Uh. . . To help them stay on?" he said, more of a question than anything. He was covering his eyes.

  
"What's wrong? Dust?"

  
"No. Just give me my glasses."

  
"Wait. Why can't you see without these things? You had perfect vision last time I saw you. And these are shades. They shouldn't be helping your vision. And why are you covering your eyes?"

  
"No reason. Just give them to me."

  
"No, Throttle. Tell me the truth. What's wrong?"

  
. . .

  
He hesitated before he said anything. I waited.

  
"A few years ago, we were all experimented on by Karbunkle. He's the one who took Modo's arm and half of Vinnies face. . . And my eyes." he said, removing his hand.

  
I couldn't even make a single sound. I just clamped a hand to my mouth in horror. Throttles eyes, his brilliant green eyes, had been replaced by red cybernetic ones. After a second, I reached out and gently touched his face. He jumped a bit, like he didn't see it coming. I lightly brushed my thumb under his eyes, feeling the scars from whatever sick operation resulted in this. I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes, thinking of the pain he and the others must have gone through. I knew that pain, but they didn't.

  
"What did he do to you?" I whispered, more to myself than him.

  
"Heh. Ugly, huh? He just wanted to see if he could make replacement eyes for his sides injured soldiers. He couldn't. They don't work. I can only see blobs of grey and white. It's like moving snow camo." he said, bringing his hand up to cover mine.

  
"What?! He replaced your eyes with these and they don't even work?!" I was getting livid.

  
"That's what the glasses are for. Those spikes create a pathway to my brain. The glasses transfer images directly to my brain so I can efficiently see what's going on around me. They work, at least. But then, they were made by the Freedom Fighters' mechanic, Harley. Not Karbunkle. I was blind for a while before she got them right."

  
He sounded so nonchalant about it. Like he's already moved on from it. I had to admire his resiliency. I still couldn't close my eyes without seeing red-hazed images of my torture sessions. Wait. . . A few years ago?

  
"Throttle, when exactly did this happen?" I asked, dreading the answer.

  
"I think we were seventeen and sixteen at the time." he said, confused.

  
I stiffened. That was four years after they captured me. I was still on Mars at the time. That meant. . .

  
"Woah! Whirlwind, what's the matter?" Throttle asked after I snatched my hand away and stood up.

  
"I was there." I said quietly, dropping the glasses into his hands.

  
"Huh?" Throttle stood as he replaced the glasses.

  
"I was there as it was all going on. I was in the basement of the lab while you three were being mutilated. If I had only done something, I could have stopped it. I could have distracted him enough for you three to escape. I heard screaming, but I couldn't place the voices. I heard you. And I did nothing! All this was going on right above me and I didn't do anything to stop it!" I ranted, my hands going to the sides of my head, clutching my hair.

  
"Woah! Whirlwind, calm down! There was nothing you could have done." Throttle said gently, grasping my shoulders.

  
"No! I could have started beating the walls, shouting, throwing stuff, anything! But I didn't do anything! I heard screaming, but I ignored it! I covered my ears and pretended not to hear it! I. . . I--I'm just as bad as Karbunkle. . . I'm worse than Karbunkle! I--!"

  
"WHIRLWIND!" Throttle shouted, giving me a shake.

  
My mind snapped back to the present. My eyes focused on Throttles face, terror plastered all over his features. Once he saw that I had calmed down, he moved his hands from my shoulders to either side of my face. His thumbs stroked soothing circles into my cheeks as he spoke.

  
"Whirlwind, I never want to hear you say anything like that again. You hear me? You are nothing like Karbunkle. Nothing could have stopped him from doing this. His machines were blowing up behind him and he didn't even look at them. There was nothing you could have done. Do you understand me?" he said, looking me dead in the eyes.

  
He sounded so much like my uncle Stoker. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. Once my heart slowed down to a normal rate, I nodded. He seemed satisfied with that and pulled me into a hug. He held me there until I stopped shaking. I had to get better control over my emotions. If any of my new powers had activated then, Throttle might have gotten hurt. The whole place could have been trashed. Including the others upstairs. These abilities are tied to my emotions, if Throttle hadn't stopped me right then. . . I had to get a grip. I took one more deep breath and stepped away.

  
"Sorry. I. . . didn't mean to lose control like that. Heh. Guess I'm not as strong as Vinnie says I am, huh?" I said, my voice still a bit shaky.

  
"No. You're wrong. You're one of the strongest people I know. You just can't see it." he said, fixing my hair again.

  
I smiled as he tilted my chin up and nudged it with his fist. That's our Throttle. Always there when you need a rock to ground you. He was about to say something when the garage doors started to open. Modo, Vinnie, and Charley rode in with bags strapped to the backs of their bikes. I didn't even realize they had been gone. They dismounted and walked over to us.

  
"Hey, mornin' Sis!" Vinnie said, coming up and pinching my nose.

  
"Vinnie! You know I hate it when you do that!" I said, rubbing my nose with a finger.

  
"That's why he does it. How'd you sleep Lil' Sis?" Modo asked, patting my back.

  
"Better than I have in years." I said, choosing not to mention that I moved from the mattress to the floor in the middle of the night. Don't ask.

  
"Great! Hope you're hungry. We went out early to get some stuff for the trip back to Mars. We picked up some breakfast to eat before we hit the skies, too." Charley said, setting the food out on the table.

  
"Come on, let's eat! I'm starving." Vinnie said, already at the table.

  
"When are you not?" I asked, shaking my head.

  
I looked at Throttle before we went to sit. I was hoping he wouldn't mention what had happened. He seemed to get it, though. He patted my shoulder and led me to the table. Good. The last thing I needed was for them to be worried about me any more than they are now. But as we ate, one thought permeated my mind like bad cheese in the air. . .

  
Should they be worried?


	7. Chapter 7

_Whirlwind_

  
I was pacing the cockpit of the ship as the guys got it ready to take off. We had the provisions packed and just had to get it off the ground. And I was just a ball of nerves. The reception waiting for me back on Mars made me more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Bad analogy for a mouse to make. Were my parents still alive? Would they even acknowledge me? And what about Stoker? I knew he had to have missed me. The only thing that was uncertain was whether or not he would ever let go again. That and him constantly worrying about me. He was always protective, so I was worried that it would multiply tenfold.

  
"Alrighty, everyone! The ship's ready to go! Let's get this puppy in the air!" Vinnie called out, pumping his fist in the air.

  
"Ready, Lil' Sis?" Modo asked, halting my pacing.

  
"As I'll ever be." I said, my foot tapping restlessly.

  
"Relax, Whirlwind. It's going to be alright." Throttle said, patting my shoulder.

  
"Yeah, Mars is still pretty much the same as it ever was." Vinnie said, leaning back in his seat.

  
"That's what worries me. I was a demon to almost everyone, remember? A messenger of doom." I said, leaning against the wall.

  
"You're not a demon!" they all chimed in together.

  
That actually made me laugh. Well, whatever the people of Mars see me as, I guess I'll always have my bros behind me. I just wanted to get the reception over with. I spent the next forty-eight hours mentally preparing myself for whatever was awaiting me back h-. . . Was home the right word? My bros were the first ones that made me feel welcome. Then their families warmed up to me. Well, Modo and Vinnies families. Throttle only ever spoke about his. Didn't know why, though. His older brothers, Jet and Axel, sounded like real great guys. He always described them as doting older brothers, showing nothing but love for him. But he never really mentioned his father in any detail. Just in passing. His mother, he didn't remember much other than she had intense green eyes and liked cheese. He was only two when she passed. It was her necklace that he gave me twelve years ago.

  
I knew Modos momma, Annabelle, would probably check me over like I was one of her own. She always did that. Really, she and Modo were like carbon copies. His older sister, Leah, and her husband saw me as extended family. Their twins, Primer and Rimfire, did as well. Then there were his little twin brother and sister, Jackson and Missy. They were sometimes the only ones who could get me to smile on a bad day. I was smitten the moment Miss Annabelle let me hold them.

  
Vinnie's mother, Marie, was stoic but kind. She always carried this authority that would make even the most hardened criminal wilt. Yet she was even shorter than I was now. She was the only one who could control Vincent. His older brother, Chase, was a big guy. And I mean big. He was tough, strong, and solid as a brick wall. But he had a soft spot for his baby brother. He would roam the galaxy for years for this little knucklehead. He was distant at first, not really superstitious but still wary of my very unusual fur color. It wasn't until I knocked Vinnie out of the way of a Humvee whos driver wasn't paying attention to the goofball playing in the street that he warmed up to me. The guy loved his brother.

  
I still didn't know anything about Throttles family. He described his brothers, Jet being the sand-furred, black-haired sleek racer type. And Axel was a brute apparently. Huge, chocolate-furred, blonde and solid as a rock. I never met them, but they sounded like they loved Throttle. He said they all inherited their mothers green eyes. The only thing he would tell me about his father was that he had reddish fur, brown hair and brown eyes. I had the feeling he wasn't on good terms with him. I never pressed him for details.

  
"Whirlwind! Come on, Sis, wake up!" Vinnie called, shaking me awake.

  
"Mmm-huh? What is it?" I asked, groggily sitting up.

  
"You fall out of bed or something? What're you doing on the floor?"

  
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I sleepwalk. Sometimes I end up just laying down on the floor."

  
He looked at me funny, but didn't question me. Good. Didn't feel like explaining now.

  
"We're almost there, Sis! Less than an hour til we land. Come on, get fixed up and meet us in the bridge."

  
I shook my head as Vinnie bounded out of the room I had shared with Charley. I was surprised she hadn't noticed me on the floor. Not that I'm complaining, though. Anyway, I got my clothes straight and put my hair back up. Hope I didn't look too bad. I headed to the others in the bridge. They were waiting for me, looking excited. I tried to match their enthusiasm. Tried and failed. Thankfully, Throttle and Modo kept a hand on my shoulders to keep me relatively calm. But my heartbeat accelerated as we touched down. I could see a crowd around the landing area. Couldn't make out any individuals, but there were quite a good number of people gathered. Before I could lose my nerve, I let my bros lead me out of the ship.

  
The crowd went silent. Before I could even try to make out who was there, I got the wind knocked out of me. Someone was hugging me. Someone strong. Someone who smelled like Stetson cologne.

  
"Uncle Stoker?" I asked, my voice muffled in his chest.

  
"Oh, Sweetheart. Oh, I thought we lost you. Come here, let me look at you." he said, holding me at arms length.

  
He looked older. Grey was starting to spread through his hair and stress lines had formed in the corners of his eyes and along his mouth. He didn't look as strong, he actually looked old. And he had a robotic tail. But he was Stoker. My uncle. I looked into his eyes, seeing the years of panic, pain, loss, fear, worry, and rage all melt into relief beyond measure. Seeing that sent me over the edge. Tears fell down my cheeks as I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his chest again.

  
"Shh. Hush, now, Sweetheart. It's okay. You're safe now. I've got you." he muttered, kissing my hair.

  
"Whirlwind?"

  
That was a voice that I knew but didn't recognize. Extracting myself from my uncles arms, I looked to my left. There stood a pretty young mouse. She had grey fur, black hair, honey-colored eyes, and a scar across her face. She was looking at me as though she was seeing a ghost. Who. . . Oh! I smiled.

  
_"As we go on, we remember. . ."_ I sang, tears pricking my eyes again.

  
_"All the times we had together. . ."_ she replied, hope shining in her eyes.

  
_"And as our lives change, come whatever. . ."_

  
_"We will still be friends forever~"_ we finished together.

  
"Carbine." I said, reaching out and touching her face.

  
"Welcome home, Sister." she said softly.

  
Before I could say anything else, she lurched forward and enveloped me in a hug. It was. . . awkward. It felt like she wasn't used to doing this. But I hugged back. My beloved baby sister. I smiled through my tears, holding her tight. Then came the roar. A huge cheer rang out from the gathered crowd. Finally, I focused on the people within the crowd. There, in the middle, was Miss Annabelle and two teenagers on either side of her. Beside them was Leah and her husband with two young adults standing in front of them. On Miss Annabelle's other side stood Miss Marie and Chase, holding a small infant in his arms. I don't know why, but the sight of such a huge guy holding such a tiny baby made me laugh. A breathless laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.

  
"Welcome home, Whirlwind." Stoker said, rubbing my back.

  
I gave an awkward smile, more nerves than anything. I was frozen to the spot for a moment, unable to move toward the crowd. Until I felt a hand gently grip mine. I looked behind my right shoulder to see Throttle smiling encouragingly at me. And then the others. Yeah. As long as they were with me, I could do anything. I took the first step toward the crowd. They all rushed forward to meet us halfway. As expected, Miss Annabelle was the first to look me over.

  
"Oh my. Not enough sleep, too much stress, too thin. Did they even feed you, Sugar? Not to worry, Momma's got a big batch of Chicken n' Rice waitin' for you at home. Oh, Sugar, we've missed you." she ranted, pulling me in for a hug.

  
"I've missed you, too, Miss Annabelle. All of you. Wait. You can't be Jackson and Missy, can you?! You were infants last time I saw you. You're so big!" I said, looking at the teens standing behind Annabelle.

  
"Come on, you two, this is Whirlwind. I've told you about her. Say hello." Annabelle said, urging them forward.

  
"Hello. Are you really Whirlwind?" Missy asked, tilting her head.

  
"Yeah, the one who used to babysit us?" Jackson added.

  
"That's me. You've grown so much since then. How old are you now?"

  
"Thirteen." they said together.

  
Thirteen. Yeah, they had just turned a year old when I was taken. They smiled and gave me a hug. They were almost as tall as I was now.

  
"Alright, you two, quit hogging her." Leah said, stepping forward.

  
She had streaks of grey in her chestnut hair now, but other than that, she hadn't changed much. Just had two twenty-one-year-olds with her.

  
"Leah? That you?" I asked. Stupid question.

  
"'Course it's me, you goof! Come here! Oh, man, we thought we'd never see you again. Come over here, Jason!" she called to her husband. That's the name!

  
"Hey, Whirlwind. Don't know what I was expecting when you got back, but you look good." he said, ruffling my hair.

  
"A walking skeleton with serious PTSD maybe? Nah. Just glad to see you guys again. Wait a moment. Primer? Rimfire?"

  
"That's us! You remember!" Rimfire exclaimed, elated.

  
He had grown a lot. He filled out well, not quite as bulky as his uncle, but still solid. Cream fur, brown hair with that tan streak down the middle, warm brown eyes, yep that's Rimfire.

  
"Don't see how she couldn't. We bothered her enough when we were kids." Primer chuckled.

  
She always was the sensible twin. Her fur was more caramel-colored than her brothers, and her hair was a pale blond. Her eyes had a gentle amber hue that radiated patience. She would have needed it with Rimfire as a brother.

  
"You didn't bother me at all, Primer. Come here. Oh man, Rimfire, you're so big!" I said as they came up to hug me.

  
They chuckled and got out of the way for Miss Marie. She was a tiny little thing, really. Shorter than me, but still held that aura of authority. She had snow-white fur, caramel-colored hair, and clear blue eyes. Just as I remembered her. She came up and placed her hands on either side of my face, looking into my eyes.

  
"Oh, Whirlwind. What did they do to you? Come here, Dear. Not to worry, you're safe now. Safe and sound." she said, hugging me tight.

  
"I know, Miss Marie. I'm okay. It's just so good to see you again." I said, hugging back.

  
"Hey, Ma, don't hog her all day. Mayberry wants to meet her." Chase said, adjusting the infant in his arms.

  
"Oh, you hush! You be careful with my grandbaby holding her like that, you hear?"

  
"She'll be fine, Ma. Whirlwind! Oh, Little Tank, we've missed you." he said, giving me a one-armed hug, "This is my little girl, Mayberry. Come on, Honey, say hello. Smile, baby girl."

  
The infant had thick dusty grey fur, which meant she was probably older than six months, with a little splotch of black hair on her head. Her eyes hadn't faded from their baby blues yet. She didn't smile yet, just stared at me with those big eyes. I smiled and waved my special little baby way. By closing my hand over and over like a baby does. That got her smiling. Aw, she was starting to get her teeth. She reached out her little hand and grabbed my nose.

  
"Oh, no! Not the baby grip! Too strong! You got me!" I said in a nasally voice.

  
She squealed with laughter. Oh, I loved that sound. But it was still a surprise when Chase set her in my arms. I smiled, of course, elated that I got to hold a baby again. But it was still a shock. I expected some kind of adjustment period. Like a month or so. But, no. They let me back in as though I had just been out for groceries. It was like nothing had changed. I knew things had changed, but maybe this was the best way to recover. These people were like my family. Maybe it wouldn't take as long as I thought for things to go back to normal. Deep down, though, I knew that wouldn't happen. I'd have to come to terms with the abuse I've endured. And that meant I'd have to talk about it. And one thing worried me about that.

  
Would they still accept me when I did?


	8. Chapter 8

_Whirlwind_

  
Now this felt strange. I remembered going over to Modos place for dinner every once and a while when I was younger, but I never thought I'd be doing it again. But here I was, surrounded by my old friends in Mama Annabelles back yard fixing to eat. Well, except for Carbine. She said she had to get back to work. The others didn't seem to like that. Little Mayberry kept gripping my necklace, but never pulled. She was such a precious little tyke. Well, Miss Annabelle wanted me to eat my fill, so I had to hand Mayberry back to her papa. And she went ballistic. She started crying like crazy. I tried to get up to take her back, but Miss Annabelle caught my arm.

  
"Oh, no you don't, little Missy! You're going to eat before you do anything else. Now sit." she said, practically pushing me back into my seat.

  
"But she keeps crying. I can't eat when she's crying like that." I said, looking at Chase anxiously.

  
"Come on, baby girl, calm down. It's alright, Papa's got you. You're just a little cranky, I know I kept you up so you could meet Auntie Whirlwind, I know. Shhh. Shhh." he cooed, gently bouncing her up and down.

  
It had no effect. If anything, she cried harder. I saw Throttle shake his head.

  
"Here, Chase, give her to me." he said, holding his arms out.

  
Chase transferred Mayberry to Throttles arms, making sure not to jostle her too much. Immediately, Throttle started walking in a circle, gently stroking her little face. He hummed a tune until she started to quiet down. Then he stopped walking and just stood still and started to sing.

  
_"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,_

  
_"You make me happy, when skies are grey._

  
_"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you,_

  
_"Please don't take my sunshine away."_

  
And that was the end of it. Mayberry stopped crying and everyone sighed in relief. I smiled as Throttle came over to sit beside me with the little one. She just sat there, leaning on Throttles chest, and looked around at everything on the table. Never knew Throttle was so good with children, let alone babies. But she was calm now and I could eat. And I did. I had always had an appetite, and now that I was allowed to eat however much I wanted, it came back in full force. As promised, there was chicken and rice. But there were biscuits, fried catfish, cornbread, barbecue, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, green bean casserole, pecan pie, buttermilk pie, and even banana pudding. And I had a go at everything.

  
"Woah. Looks like you haven't eaten in a year." Stoker said from my other side.

  
"Actually, two days ago was the first time I'd eaten a proper meal in twelve years. But that was just hotdogs and root beer. But this. . . Miss Annabelle, this is better than I remember!" I said, sopping up the drippings on my plate with a biscuit.

  
"We'll I'm happy to oblige, Sugar. Now, you be sure to take plenty of it with you when you go home with the boys. I assume you'll stay with them until you find yourself somewhere to live?" she asked, giving my bros a look.

  
"Of course!" Vinnie called, raising his bottle of root beer.

  
"Best place for her, Momma." Modo added, reaching over Throttle to rustle my hair.

  
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Throttle said, nudging my chin again.

  
"Good. I wouldn't trust anyone else with her. I'll do my best to find her a place of her own, but in the meantime, you bros better take care of her. Got that?" Stoker said, draping an arm around my shoulders.

  
"Uncle, I can take care of myself. But I do appreciate it, bros." I said, leaning back in my seat, "But not as much as I appreciate good food!"

  
Miss Annabelle laughed and started stuffing a bit of everything into some Tupperware. Mayberry gurgled and gripped my sleeve, trying to crawl over to me. I smiled and took her from Throttle, standing up and walking around. She seemed to enjoy me, mostly because I could make so many funny faces. But she was such a good little girl, it melted my heart. I could see Chase following us with his eyes, obviously a doting father. I smiled and brought her down to the ground, holding her hands so she was standing upright. She giggled at the feeling of the grass under her feet. I remembered doing this with Jackson and Missy, helping them learn to walk. But little Mayberry seemed to catch on quicker. She was moving her legs like she had been doing it all along. I gestured for Chase to crouch down a little ways away from us and let go of her hands. She made her way over to Chase, staggering a little but never falling. I saw Miss Marie with her camera, filming the event. She made it over to Chase and he scooped her up, kissing her all over.

  
"Wow, Sweetheart, you're pretty good at this." Stoker said, draping an arm around my shoulders again.

  
"Well, I've always loved children. But I didn't think Throttle would be that good." I said, nudging Throttle with my elbow.

  
"Hey. What can I say? I just wanted her to stop crying. Last time she cried that hard, she got sick." he said, shaking his head.

  
I shook my head. Anyway, I spent the rest of the day catching up with everyone. Playing games, listening to stories, just getting back into being part of an extended family. By sundown, I was ready to drop. So, with the food all packed on our bikes, the bros and I headed to their place. Stoker decided to come with us to make sure I got there okay. I was right about one thing, he was still protective. And now that I was back, he wasn't going to let anything like that happen again. Although, he was a lot older now. He couldn't really protect me like he used to, like how he shielded me from a falling support beam when I was nine. He was still an amazing teacher, he just couldn't do all the things he used to do.

  
Which might have been helpful right about now.

  
As we pulled up to my bros' place, we saw two figures standing in front of the house. One was a tall and stocky male. The other was a slim female. It was too dark to make out features, but I had a sinking feeling I knew who they were. We pulled up into the driveway and the lights came on. Now I could see who it was. The male had sable-colored fur and dark brown hair, honey-colored eyes, and a down set mouth. The female had brown fur and black hair, grey eyes, and a condescending look to her expression. I knew exactly who these mice were. And I had been dreading seeing them again all day.

  
"Hey, who are you? This is private property, you're trespassing." Vinnie said, dismounting.

  
"Shut up, runt. This doesn't concern you." the man said, sneering at Vinnie.

  
"Why you--! Who are you?!"

  
Before anyone could answer, they spotted me. Their stares became murderous. If looks could kill, my head would be exploding right now. Sighing in resignation, I dismounted and walked forward. Stoker tried to come with me, but I kept him still with a look. I stopped three feet in front of the newcomers.

  
"Still alive?" the man asked as if the words were poison in his mouth.

  
"Thought we were finally rid of you." the woman added, her stare ice-cold.

  
"Hello Father. Mother." I said quietly, my ears drooping.

  
"WHAT?!" I heard my bros exclaim, utter disbelief in their voices.

  
"Beretta, what's going on?" Stoker asked, his finger twitching.

  
"This doesn't concern you, brother. Keep your nose out of it." Mother snapped.

  
"You're looking well. I almost didn't recognize you." I said, dreading what was coming next.

  
"Don't speak to us, Demon! We thought you were finally out of our hair for good. But you keep coming back, like a cockroach." Mother spat, pointing at me aggressively.

  
"Or a bad rash. And how dare you touch our daughter, you freak. You've got a lot of nerve coming back after all this time. Should've kicked it years ago." Father ranted, walking up until he was a foot away from me.

  
"Carbine's my sister. I'm going to see her. You can't order me around anymore, I'm almost twenty-five years old. You can't do anything to me that hasn't already been done." I said, showing the most bravado I ever have when I've faced them.

  
"We'll see about that." Mother muttered, smirking.

  
It happened in a flash. I saw the signs and braced myself. Then I had the back of a fist crashing into my jaw, knocking me to the ground. I felt my jaw crack, tasted blood as a tooth went through the inside of my cheek. Ick. I hated the taste of blood. I spat it out onto the ground as my jaw healed and my parents walked away.

  
"Don't ever come near Carbine again. If you do, don't think we won't kill you." Father called over his shoulder.

  
"Hey!" Charlene called, mortified.

  
"You rats, get back here!" Vinnie shouted, drawing his pistol.

  
"Yeah, nobody hurts our Lil' Sis and gets away with it!" Modo added, his eye glowing as he activated the gun on his arm.

  
"You've really fucked up now, don't you dare walk away!" Throttle growled, the cold steel in his voice making my fur stand on end.

  
"Caliber! That was way out of line! What the hell, Beretta?! Get back here!" Stoker yelled, fire in his eyes.

  
"Bros! Uncle! Enough!" I shouted, trying to stand up. Still dizzy.

  
Throttle and Stoker were by my side in an instant, helping me stand. My parents were looking at me like I had just sprouted horns and wings. I wiped the residual blood from my mouth and looked them dead in the eyes.

  
"Don't worry, Bros. The years must be catching up with you, old man. I barely even felt that. A lot has changed in these twelve years, you know. I'm not a little kid anymore. You can't push me around anymore. And you can't stop me from seeing my sister. If you try, you'll see just how much of a demon I can be." I said in a dangerous monotone, staring them down.

  
It had the desired effect. They tried not to let it show, but I could see the fear in their eyes. Their fur was bristling, their hands starting to shake. They turned and walked away. We stood there until they were out of sight. I felt the dull ache as the crack in my jaw healed, but I stayed perfectly still. As soon as we felt it was safe again, my bros and Stoker crowded around me to check me over. Throttle gently prodded my jaw, feeling for a break. Did he forget I could heal? Probably.

  
"Guys, I'm fine. I can heal, remember?" I asked, holding my hands up to keep them off of me for a minute.

  
"You can? Never mind, what the hell was that?!" Stoker asked, touching my arms.

  
"Yeah, what was wrong with that guy?" Vinnie asked, his eyes still livid.

  
"Whirlwind, what was that all about? What's going on?" Throttle asked gently, tilting my face up to look at him.

  
How is it that this guy can get me to tell him anything and everything? All it takes is looking into his eyes and I'm spilling my guts. Even now that he needs those glasses, I could tell he was giving me that particular expression. I sighed, letting my shoulders droop.

  
"We. . . Have a lot to talk about."


	9. Chapter 9

_Whirlwind_

  
"So, you're saying that your parents never wanted you?" Charley asked, shaking her head.

  
I had just finished telling them all about my childhood before I was kidnapped. How my parents hadn't wanted a kid when my mother got pregnant. Her parents didn't let her abort, so she would do whatever possible to force a miscarriage. She smoked, drank, drank three mugs of coffee a day, ate fish every other day, painted the bathroom twice, and even ran ten miles without a break or water. Yet, here I was. I was born prematurely, three months early, but other than that, I was healthy. She didn't even feed me when we were still in the hospital. She would get a nurse to do it. They would've left me there, but Grandpa Surge and Grandma Poppy wouldn't hear of it. They were generals in the military and had very high moral standards. They adored me from the moment they saw me. Thanks to them, I didn't end up in a dumpster.

  
But what I got wasn't that much better. They left me to cry in the box they used as a crib. They only fed me when they had to. And changing my diaper. . . Let's just say that I was potty-trained very early on. Stoker was a constant, too. They would always dump me on him when they needed a break. He loved me to pieces. He let me have a whole jar of baby food. But as soon as I was back with my parents, I was lower than dirt. It was three years before they decided they actually wanted to be parents. You'd think they'd start with me, right? Nope.

  
That's when they got Carbine, the apple of their eyes. And mine. They wouldn't let me anywhere near her, I had to sneak up to her crib when they were out or sleeping. We bonded almost immediately, she would seek me out during the day. They would never let me near her. The one time they caught me at her crib, they took a belt to me. And not a normal leather belt. One of those decorative belts that are just metal rings linked together. That's what started it all.

  
It was only thanks to the color of my fur that nobody noticed the bruises. Almost every day, they found something to punish me for. One of the worst ones was when Carbine was three years old. She was playing with our mothers favorite China doll, which she wasn't supposed to do, and broke it. I told her to go to her playpen and stay there. Mother found me cleaning up the pieces of the doll and dragged me to the basement. The one thing that scared me at that point was the whip they kept in the basement. They told Carbine once that it was a replica from a movie on Earth. And it hurt like hell. I still had scars on my back from the thing.

  
Now, when I started hanging out with my bros, the punishments became less frequent. Until I was almost thirteen. I came home one morning after going for a ride with Stoker and found Carbine on the stoop, crying. Now, I was a protective big sister. I immediately rushed to her and asked what happened. I was relieved to hear that she had only fallen off of her bike and skinned her knee. I got her inside and sat her on the kitchen counter. I was just dabbing the ointment on her knee when they came home. They accused me of trying to poison her and threw me against the far wall. Before Carbine could explain, Father hit me across the face with a plate. It shattered and gave me quite a nasty cut on my right eye.

  
That was the day Throttle gave me the necklace. It was also a week before I was taken. I could tell by their faces that my bros never imagined that things were that bad. Even Stoker looked mortified. He knew his sister didn't like me too much, but I never let him know how bad things actually were. He loved me too much, he would have taken me away. And that would have meant being taken away from Carbine as well. I couldn't do that. Well, it didn't matter. I was taken away anyway.

  
"Pretty much, Charley-girl. It was just icing on the cake that I turned out to have ink-black fur. Unwanted and a messenger of doom. That was me." I said, sipping the cocoa Modo had made about an hour ago.

  
"I can't believe you didn't tell me any of this, Sweetheart. I would have--" Stoker started, but I cut him off.

  
"Taken me away. And I wasn't going to leave Carbine willingly."

  
"Man, oh man, this just makes me so mad, I just wanna hit something!" Vinnie said, pacing back and forth.

  
"You're wearing a track into the floor, baby bro." I said, earning an incredulous look from him.

  
"You kept all this a secret from all of us? How did you manage that, Lil' Sis?" Modo asked, running his hand through my hair.

  
"Easy. I just didn't talk about it." I shrugged.

  
"We could've helped you. You know we would've gone to Pluto and back in a rowboat for you." Throttle said, gently cupping my face.

  
"I know you would. Even though Pluto isn't a planet anymore." I said with a smirk.

  
"We still would, you know. We're going to be here for you no matter what. We're not about to lose you again." Stoker said in that 'you're not going to change my mind' tone.

  
"Yeah. And no creep parents are going to stop us." Charley added, patting my shoulder.

  
Before I could say anything else, there was a frantic knocking at the door. Well, more like banging. I went to get it, but Stoker held me back. Throttle went to the door, his battle glove charged and ready. The others were equally armed and ready to fight. Throttle opened the door.

  
"YAAAH!"

  
The yelp came from Carbine, her arms flying to shield herself from the bros' raised weapons.

  
"Carbine! Bros, chill out! Step back!" I cried, rushing forward to grab Throttles arm.

  
"Whirlwind! Are you alright? I saw Mom and Dad earlier, they said they 'spoke' to you. What happened? And why is there a splatter of blood outside?!" she ranted, her hands gripping onto my upper arms.

  
"Relax, little sister. I'm fine. Come here, I'm okay." I said gently, pulling her into a hug.

  
I've really been giving and getting a lot of hugs lately. But she seemed to appreciate it. Still awkward, but she seemed relieved that I was alright.

  
"What happened?" she asked, looking me dead in the eyes.

  
"Nothing abnormal. Father just knocked me down, that's all." I said, brushing her hair out of her face.

  
"Knocked you down?! He cracked your jaw!" Stoker cried, giving me a look.

  
"What?! Are you alright?! Let me see!" Carbine said, grabbing my face.

  
"Carbine, come on. I'm fine. If I wasn't that would've hurt like hell." I said, laughing.

  
"But Stoker just said--"

  
"It's already healed. It's a long story, Carbine. For now, just know that I'm fine."

  
She didn't look convinced. The others seemed to be in the same boat. I shook my head and led Carbine back outside to her ride.

  
"Hey, what's going on? What do you mean you healed? What happened to you?" Carbine asked as we walked.

  
"I'll tell you all about it later, little sister. For now, I think it's best for both of us if we don't meet as often or for as long as we would like. At least until our parents come around. Now, listen. I love you. But for your sake and mine, we shouldn't hang out until they come to their senses." I said, patting her shoulder.

  
"But Whirlwind, they haven't come around in twenty-five years, what makes you think they're anywhere close to doing it now?" she asked, pleading.

  
"We'll just have to find a way to get them to. Just go home and get some sleep. I love you, little sister." I said, kissing her forehead.

  
She looked like she wanted to argue, but thought better of it. She nodded and got back on her ATV. As she left, I saw her look back at me as though she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. I remember her doing the same thing when she was learning how to ride her bike. She would only do it for me. I smiled and raised my left fist just like I used to. She did the same and finally rode off.

  
"Seriously, Sweetheart, you're more like a mother than a sister." Stoker said as I came back inside.

  
"You'd make a good one." Throttle added, leaning against the wall.

  
"Yeah right. Listen, I really need you guys to ignore this. There's nothing you can do about it, so just leave it alone." I said, arms crossed.

  
"You know we can't do that, Lil' Sis." Modo said, shaking his head.

  
"Well, you're going to have to try. Please, bros. Just leave it alone for now. We'll find some way of dealing with it later, but for now please leave it alone." I pleaded.

  
They didn't like it, but I got them to agree. Well, Stoker had to get back home. He had classes in the morning teaching a new generation of Freedom Fighters. The war may be over, but you can never be too careful. Once he was gone, the bros got the couch ready for sleeping. I didn't really need them to do that, I slept on the floor anyway. But since the house only had three bedrooms, and Charley already shared one with Vinnie, they needed to make some room. Once they got the couch unfolded and made up, Modo, Vinnie, and Charley went to bed. I was about to lay down when Throttle caught my arm.

  
"No-go, Whirlwind. I've got the couch, you're sleeping in my bed tonight. No, don't even start to object, that's that. Come on, I'm going to make sure you get there." he said, dragging me down the hallway.

  
"Throttle! I don't want to displace you! I'm fine with the couch, this is your bed!" I cried as he led me into the room.

  
"Well, until we get you into a place of your own, it's your bed. Don't try to argue."

  
"But I-- Yeep!"

  
Throttle had swept my legs out from under me with his tail. Instinctively, I closed my eyes and gripped onto his shoulders as I fell. When I opened my eyes, I was on my back on the bed with Throttle hovering over me. I could feel my eyes grow to the size of dinner plates and my face heat up. It was one of the few times I was thankful for my fur being the color it is so my blush didn't show. He seemed surprised as well for a second, then used it as an advantage.

  
"There. Now, you're going to stay here and get some sleep. Understand?" he said, his voice a low rumble.

  
I couldn't speak, so I just nodded. He smirked and stood up. He even tucked me in to make sure I wouldn't sneak away.

  
"Hey, you know we love you, right? You've been through enough, you need at least a little something to help you recover. This is just a little step, but it could help. And since you're so stubborn, we have to push a little. We're here to help you. You just have to let us." he said, stroking my cheek.

  
"Alright." I said with a sigh. This guy was incredible.

  
He smiled. He had the best smile. Huh? Gah! I closed my eyes, trying to control the heat in my face. Then he just had to lean down and kiss my forehead. He didn't even wait for me to say anything before leaving the room. He left the door open just a crack, in case I needed something, I guess. With a sigh, I slipped off of the bed and laid down on the floor. Being forced to sleep on a hard steel floor for twelve years kind of ingrains the behavior into your head. At least there was a rug here. Man, why did Throttle have to do that? I couldn't think of sleep, I couldn't think of anything! Modo and Vinnie have kissed me before, when I got hurt. You know, that old kid thing about kisses making ouchies better. But he never did that. He did that fist to the chin thing, but never a kiss. Why did he do that? My mind was going at top speed as I curled up on the rug.

  
I didn't even notice when I actually fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_Whirlwind_

 

_"Now, open wide, my little recalcitrant rodent." Karbunkle sneered, trying to force my jaws open._

  
_I shook my head, keeping my jaws clamped shut. I didn't know what that goop was, but there was no way I was letting it in my mouth. It smelled worse than Limburger at high noon in the middle of summer. It's been four years since this psycho's had me as his personal testing dummy. He's already put me thorough so many tests and procedures. He's even inserted a retractable blade in my right forearm. Someone's been reading too many Marvel comics. But what the hell was this crap?_

  
_I didn't have time to think about it. Karbunkle clamped my nose closed. Damn, that's a dirty trick. I had no choice but to open my mouth to take a breath. And he didn't wait for me to do so before tipping the goop into my mouth. It tasted even worse than it smelled. Like raw meat drenched in skunk spray that's been sitting in the sun for a week. But he made me swallow it. Burning! Burning pain spreading throughout my body! I couldn't even scream or move, I was paralyzed. The gash in my side caused by Karbunkles whip started burning in earnest. It didn't last long, though. Then my side started itching like crazy. I looked down to see that the wound was closing like a zipper._

  
_The sight made me gag. But Karbunkle seemed pleased. He ordered one of his robots to take me back to my cell. That goop healed my wounds? Hmm. Once the robot was gone, I took a shard of the mirror that used to be on the wall out from behind the toilet. I had smashed that mirror last year in an attempt to escape. He caught me and sent me to the ECT table. But I saved a shard just in case. Now, I used it to prick my finger. A bead of blood appeared, as usual, but it didn't get any bigger than a grain of quinoa. It was healed. On a whim, I dug the shard into my right arm. Ignoring the pain, I dug the blade out. He hadn't bothered to attach it to the bone or muscle, so it was relatively easy to remove._

  
_Didn't stop the pain, though. I had always had a very high pain tolerance, and my time here only made it even higher. The blade was out and the wound healed as soon as it left my flesh. But my achievement was poorly timed._

  
_"Well, well. It would seem that my healing elixir worked even better than anticipated." Karbunkle said from right outside my cell._

  
_Wasting no time, Karbunkle had me taken back to the test chamber. I struggled, of course, and got a rather big surprise. As I struggled, I lifted one of the robots off of the ground. I wasn't tall enough to do much more, but it was something. But before I could test it out, Karbunkle hit me with his taser whip. Before I knew it, I was strapped to the experimentation table._

  
_"Let's see just how far this new ability extends." he said, reaching for a table topped with various instruments._

  
_This was by far the worst pain I've ever been in. Over and over again, I was cut, stabbed, and burned. I thrashed and bit and did everything possible to try and get him to stop._

  
". . .-ind. . ."

  
_What was that? No time to ponder that. Karbunkle slowly dragged a scalpel across my belly, my blood dripping from the table to the floor. I was practically convulsing now._

 

_When was this going to stop?!_

 

". . .-wind!"

  
_Again? No. No, no, no! Karbunkle was coming at me with a bone saw. No! He had the thing at my throat. No, please, no! He started to saw into my throat. I heard the flesh tear, felt the blood gush from my carotid artery. My vision was going spotty, the pain blinding me. The saw scraped bone, sending the pain shooting through my whole body. I couldn't take this! Just let me die already! Just make it stop! MAKE IT--_

  
"WHIRLWIND!"

  
My eyes shot open. I was on the floor in a room I didn't recognize immediately. I was still in a panic. Where was I? I don't know where I am! Then I felt a strong arm behind my shoulders, propping me up. I looked to my left and saw Throttle, looking at me with distress written all over his face. A nightmare. It was just a nightmare. With a whimper, I threw my arms around his neck.

  
"Oh man, Whirlwind, are you alright?" he asked, his arms wrapping around my shaking shoulders.

  
"I. . . It. . . Was just a nightmare. I was. . . Back in the lab. . . He. . . He w-was. . ." I couldn't finish, I could only bury my face in the crook of his neck.

  
"Hush, Whirlwind. Shh. You're alright. You're safe. He's never going to touch you again. I swear it." his voice was a low rumble as he ran his fingers through my hair.

  
This was pathetic. Clinging to my friend like this, whimpering like a pup. I was supposed to be the strong, suffer in silence type. I still didn't let myself actually cry. I haven't done that since I was a newborn. I wasn't about to start now. I took a few deep breaths. And my stomach did a flip. With a choked sound, I pushed Throttle away and made a break for the bathroom. I was hunched over as the contents of my stomach emptied into the toilet. Ugh. That was everything I ate yesterday. Out of nowhere, I felt my hair being pulled back. I took a glance beside me and saw Throttle kneeling there, rubbing my back. I groaned as another retch brought up even more chunks. This was all I needed, Throttle seeing me this weak. Ugh.

  
Once the retching stopped, I wiped my mouth with some toilet paper and flushed. I immediately went to the sink to brush my teeth.

  
"Got a spare toothbrush?" I asked, groggy.

  
"Yeah. Brand new one right here. You alright?" Throttle said, handing me a toothbrush still in the package.

  
"Thanks."

  
I didn't answer his question, just started brushing my teeth. As soon as the barf taste was out of my mouth, I spat and rinsed. I gargled some mouthwash, too, just to be on the safe side. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and glanced at it. I let out a squeak and took a few steps back.

  
"What's wrong?!" Throttle asked, immediately wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

  
"I just saw my reflection." I said, making a face.

  
I did not look good. My eyes were dull and droopy, my hair was all over the place, and my fur was shaggy. Even through my dark fur, I could see the circles and bags under my eyes. Ick. I look awful.

  
"What do you mean? What's wrong with your reflection?" Throttle asked, looking in the mirror with me.

  
"It's my reflection." I said flatly.

  
"Huh? I don't get it."

  
"Ick."

  
"Ick?"

  
"Ick."

  
"Whirlwind, what's the matter?"

  
"Don't like my reflection. Never have. Drop it."

  
He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, he led me to the living room and sat me on the couch next to him. His arm was still around me, holding me close to him. He seemed reluctant to say something. I braced for what he was going to say. I had a feeling I was going to have to come clean about something.

  
"Why were you on the floor?" he asked, catching me off guard.

  
"Huh?"

  
"What? You thought I'd ask about the nightmare? No. I can see that you don't want to talk about it yet. I'll wait until you're ready. But I want to know why you were on the floor. And don't give me that sleepwalking shit you gave Vinnie."

  
. . .

  
"Well?"

  
. . .

  
"I'm not used to a bed." I said quietly.

  
"Ah. I've heard about that. People held captive or even just coming home from service often need to take a while to get used to sleeping in a proper bed. They're used to sleeping either on a bedroll or a cot. That's understandable." he said, rubbing my shoulder.

  
. . .

  
"I've never had a bed." I said, looking anywhere but at him.

  
"What?"

  
"I've never had a bed. Ever. You think my parents would've shelled out a couple hundred on a bed for a demon they hated? No. I had the floor. At most, I had a rug on the floor. Then the lab. That was a steel floor. Cold and hard. Not something I wasn't used to."

  
. . .

  
"I'm sorry." Throttle whispered, his voice grip tightening.

  
"Why? S'not your fault." I said, confused.

  
"I just am. Heh. I used to go on and on about this race car bed I had as a kid. And all the while, you didn't have one? Ugh. Can't believe we didn't notice anything back then."

  
"Throttle. That wasn't your fault. I was always pretty good at masking pain. Keeping secrets, too. Kept a big one for almost twenty-five years. I didn't want you guys to know."

  
"Why? Why didn't you let us help you? And don't say it was because of Carbine! I'm tired of her being the cause of trouble."

  
"Hey! What do you mean by that?"

  
"Sorry, I know you love her. But by the gods, is she a bitch. Don't give me that look, I dated her!"

  
"You dated my little sister?!"

  
"Unfortunately. You saw how she went right back to work instead of coming to eat with us. She has major priority problems. She puts work before everything. And everyone. And then gest mad when someone does the same to her. That's why it didn't work out between us. I was on Earth, working to save it. She wanted me back on Mars to focus on saving it. And to stay with her all the time. She wanted me to forsake an entire planet just to be closer to her. I couldn't do that. And when the war ended and we were finally able to be together, she was always working! And when she had a day off and I needed to go help rebuild, she wanted me to skip so we could go out. She wanted me to make the sacrifices she wouldn't make in a hundred years. I don't know what I saw in her. She's nothing like you."

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"Has Carbine really changed that much?" I asked quietly.

  
"Apparently. She's not a bad person, don't get me wrong. But she needs to set her priorities in order. In proper order."

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"I guess I could see that. She's still my little sister, and I love her to death. But I can see that she's far from the little ten-year-old I left behind twelve years ago. And I'm sorry things didn't work out between the two of you. You would probably be the only one I'd trust with her."

  
"Thanks, Whirlwind. That means a lot. But it's over. I tried, but she wouldn't budge. Guess that old joke of Vinnie's held a glimmer of truth after all."

  
"What joke?"

  
"What did he use to say? Ah. 'Who would ever fall for your ugly mug?' or something like that."

  
"What?! And you took that seriously?!" I asked, incredulous.

  
"Not at the time. But now. . ."

  
"Throttle! Have you seen yourself? You've grown into a gorgeous mouse! Who wouldn't want to--!" I clamped my hand to my mouth.

  
Did I really just say that?! What he hell, mouth?! Brain, do something! I was sure my blush could be seen through my fur this time.

  
"Hypocrite." he said with a chuckle.

  
"Heh?"

  
"You don't like your reflection, but think that I should like mine?"

  
"That's different! There's nothing to like about mine!"

  
"Oh, really?"

  
"Yeah. My eyes are weird, they change shade with my mood or surroundings or whatever I'm wearing. My hair doesn't know how to behave, it's always in the way. I have a freaking scar across my right eye! Don't get me started on my damn fur. And, to top it off, I have some mental problems brought on by twenty-five years of abuse! In short, I'm fucked up!"

  
Throttle just sat there, staring at me while I ranted. For some reason, it felt good to say all that. Like I'd been holding it in for so long, it had to come out. My chest felt lighter. I got to the end of my rant and crossed my arms, facing Throttle. He surprised me by gently stroking my face.

  
"Well, I think your eyes are amazing. They're such a beautiful shade of blue. Your hair is lovely. Soft and perfect for running your fingers through. That scar was not your fault. And your fur is stunning. Soft and warm, practically begging for someone to stroke it. As for your mental state, if this is what you call fucked up, I'd hate to see what you call normal. You're perfect just the way you are. Don't ever think differently." he said, his voice gentle as if he was afraid I'd run off if he got too loud.

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"Is it your goal in life to make me blush so much that my face explodes?" I asked, face palming.

  
He just laughed and pulled me in for another hug. This guy was incredible. He hasn't changed at all since he was thirteen. Just got bigger. This is why I always felt safest when I was with him. I'd never let it show, but I had serious bouts of depression when I was younger. But he would always do or say something to make me feel better. He even put himself between me and superstitious adults. His favorite argument was "She's the same as us, just a different color! Like green and red tomatoes. They taste the same, they're just a different color! Leave her alone!" Heh. He'd put quite a few adults in their places with that argument. Damn, I was getting nostalgic. Huh? Heh. Throttle had fallen asleep. His breathing deepened and his heartbeat slowed slightly. He was still holding me in a strong grip, so there was no way for me to escape. But I reached up and carefully removed his glasses so he wouldn't wake up with a headache. I guess I'll just wait for him to start dreaming and loosen his grip. Didn't want to drool all over him, I had a habit of doing that in my sleep. But he was so warm, his fur surprisingly soft.

  
I was asleep before I knew it.


	11. Chapter 11

_Whirlwind_

  
_**Hachoo!**_

  
It's been four months since my return to Mars. I've spent that time helping my bros rebuild. I've also been catching up with their families and Stoker. Carbine would sneak her way to see me every now and then, too. She never stayed long, but it was enough to make me happy. I was never without at least one of my bros. If it wasn't Throttle, it was Modo. Every now and then, Vinnie would be my sole company for a day. That turned out to be a bad idea. He dragged me onto a stunt driving spree and we nearly got buried under a landslide. Throttle was not pleased when we got home scraped, bruised, and dusty. Vinnie earned a week of dish duty for that. I got a makeover from Charley. I would have rather had bathroom duty.

  
And now, I seemed to be sick.

  
"We told you to come home right away, Lil' Sis." Modo chided, setting a bowl of chicken broth in front of me.

  
"But the kids didn't seem sick at the time." I said, blowing my nose.

  
I had been hanging out with Jackson, Missy, and Mayberry earlier this week and it turned out that one of them had been carrying some kind of bug. The twins came down with whatever this was the next day. Mine held out for three days. Mayberry, thankfully, wasn't showing any signs of being under the weather.

  
"We told you that there was a bug floating around. And if I know my little sibs, they're sponges for those things." Modo said, shaking his head and replacing the trash bin next to the couch. Full of tissues.

  
"It's not her fault she has a weak spot for children, bro. It's just her nature." Throttle said, coming into the room with the medicine I had been prescribed.

  
I blushed as he sat down next to me. Four months and I still wasn't over that night I had fallen asleep on him. I just remember waking up laying on his chest on the couch. That and the sound of a camera snapping a picture. Vinnie got one hell of a workout running from me with the thing. He still had the picture. I got the camera away from him, but he kept the memory card. Damn. Throttle didn't seem bothered by it. Even though I did end up drooling on his shoulder. Ew. He just ended up laughing it off. I endured a whole week of teasing from Modo and Vinnie for that. Thankfully, Throttle also got tired of it and put an end to it. Didn't stop me from blushing every time we sat next to each other.  
"Hey. Earth to Whirlwind. Or, rather Mars to Whirlwind." Throttle said, waving his hand in front of my face.

  
"Huh?" I asked, coming out of my daze.

  
"You need to take your medicine. And no chipmunking it and spitting it out when we're not looking." he said, offering me the pills and some milk.

  
I groaned and took the medicine. I hated swallowing pills. Had to do it with Karbunkle a few times. But he caught on that I wasn't swallowing them, so he switched to liquid. I wasn't about to take liquid medicine. Anyway, with that done, Throttle handed me the broth. I was really glad they didn't insist on feeding me. My hands may be shaky, but I could still sip from a bowl. Mmm. You can always count on Momma Annabelle to come through with a bonafied cure-all. Even with my nose all stuffy and making my taste buds all funky, her cooking always tasted good. Still sucked to be sick, but at least I wasn't alone.

  
"Yo, bros! I've gotta get going. Promised Chase I'd help him clear the rubble in the schoolyard today." Vinnie said, checking the clock on the wall.

  
"I'll come with you. Y'all could always use an extra pair of hands." Modo said, his bionic arm shining.

  
"Just be careful, guys. Throttle, could you stay here with Whirlwind while I go meet up with Stoker? He says he needs my help with the recruits." Charley said as she gathered her things.

  
"Rodger that." Throttle said with a salute.

  
Oh man, really?! The universe is against me, isn't it? With a mental groan, I finished the broth and went to stand up.

  
"Woah, what're you doing?" Throttle asked, catching my shoulder.

  
"Going to put this in the dishwasher." I said, holding the bowl up.

  
"Oh, no you're not. Sit back down, I'll take care of that. Don't even try to argue, give it here."

  
I groaned and gave him the bowl. There was no arguing with this guy. Well, I guess it was a good thing he took the bowl. Even that little half stand got me light headed. I leaned back on the couch, staring at the TV. Vinnie had hooked up a video player from Earth into it and brought a ton of movies back. This one was about some mobster. I couldn't understand it at all. There was a wedding, someone asking for a favor. . . What the fuck?!

  
"Oh my-- Gurk!" I made a beeline for the bathroom.

  
What the fuck was that?! What sick bastard would cut off a horse's head and put it in someone's bed while they're sleeping?! That broth came right back up. Ugh. Oh, man, not again.

  
"Thanks." I said as I felt Throttle holding my hair back.

  
"No problem. I told Vincent not to put that movie in, too long and I knew that scene wouldn't agree with you. Didn't mean it this way, but still." he said, rubbing my back.

  
"That's just terrible, what did the horse do?" I asked, standing to brush my teeth.

  
"It was the guys favorite race horse. It was supposed to send a message."

  
"The horse didn't do anything, though! Why'd he have to die? That's just sick!"

  
"I know, Babe, I know."

  
Wait, what? What did he just call me? No. No, it was just the fever, I misheard him. Ugh. Back to the couch. I slouched down and covered my face with the blanket. I didn't want to watch this one anymore.

  
"Hey, want me to change the movie?" Throttle asked, turning this one off.

  
"Please."

  
"Which one do you want to watch?"

  
"What do we have?"

  
Throttle laid a selection of movies on the table. They ranged from comedy to horror to action to animated to Ghibli.

  
"Hey, Spirited Away. I like that one. Modo showed me that one a month ago." I said, pointing to it.

  
"Spirited Away it is." Throttle said, popping the movie in.

  
We just sat there, watching the movie. Throttle did go get me another bowl of broth to replace what I lost. He got himself some, too. Poor guy, he couldn't eat something one of us couldn't eat. Like when Vinnie had to have his tonsils taken out two months ago, Throttle could only eat yogurt, soup, and ice cream with him. He couldn't bring himself to eat when one of us couldn't. He was sweet. Oh man, it's coming up. I put the bowl down and waited. The part I always laughed at. There it is! Chihiro slipped and went running down the stairs then ran smack into the wall! She wasn't hurt, so I didn't feel bad for laughing. Well, this time I did. It caused a bad coughing fit.

  
"Woah, take it easy, Whirlwind. Don't choke yourself!" Throttle said, patting my back and handing me my tea.

  
"S-sorry. That part always makes me laugh." I said, sipping the tea. Peppermint. Good for the throat.

  
"Maybe this was a bad idea. You gonna be alright?"

  
"Yeah. That's the only part that actually makes me laugh aloud."

  
"Alright. Just be careful. Don't need you throwing up again."

  
I nodded and leaned back again. The movie progressed and I felt myself get lost in the magic. Don't know what it was about Miyazaki, but his films seemed to cast some kind of spell on me. Even though my eyes were getting droopy, I could feel that little flutter in my heart. These movies always did this to me, I don't know why. Huh? Really?

  
"Oh, sorry, Throttle." I said, straightening up.

  
I had been leaning on him again.

  
"It's fine. You're getting tired. It's that medicine, lay down." he said, rubbing my back.

  
Where? I didn't think the arm of the couch was good for my neck. Huh? Gah! Throttle pulled me over to him and the next thing I knew, my head was laying on his lap. That did not help my temperature. I felt my face heat up even more. But I had to admit, this was comfortable. Ugh, can't wait until this passed and I could think clearly again. Huh? When did we get to the end of the movie. Chihiro was looking back through the tunnel leading to the bath house.

  
"Wonder if they'll make a sequel to this. It'd be nice if she could see Haku again." Throttle said, stroking my hair.

  
"She doesn't remember him." I said, a sad note in my voice.

  
"What?"

  
"Yeah, those last lines in English don't exist in the original Japanese dub. Miyazaki has revealed that Chihiro doesn't remember anything about her time at the bath house."

  
"What? Well, that's kinda sad."

  
"It's about growing up. She was a brat before she had to work there, and now she's grown into a determined and hardworking young woman. She's thirteen, the time where you usually start to let go of your childish ways and start to mature."

  
"That's. . . Kind of beautiful actually." Throttle said, shifting me slightly to get up and change movies, "Which one's next?"

  
"Something long so you won't have to get up too often." I said, yawning, "You're lap's comfy."

  
What did I just say?! Damn medicine. Throttle just chuckled and put in the Lord of the Rings. Good. That one's almost three hours long. He started the movie and got back into position. He was warm, I had to admit. Heh. I didn't last too long. Only to the part where Gandalf sends Frodo and Sam on their journey. I had strange dreams, too. Instead of bikes, we all rode horses everywhere. And Vinnie always had a wedge of cheese in his mouth. Ooh, if he knew about that, he'd kill the medicine. That was one of the side effects, actually. Strange dreams. And I've been having them a lot. At least they weren't my usual nightmares.

  
But something woke me. A scratching noise at the door. Opening my eyes, I saw the second movie going on the TV. Looking at Throttle, I saw him snoring with his head tilted back. I would've laughed if that scratching hadn't sounded again. It was frantic. Cautiously, I stood up. No dizzy. Alright, so far so good. Wait. I could breathe. Oh, seriously? My healing powers decided to kick in now?! Gah! The door. I approached the door and looked through the peephole. Couldn't see anything. The scratching continued.

  
"Who's out there?" I called through the door.

  
"H-help. . .me!" I heard a weak voice answer.

  
My instincts were going full-throttle. Someone was hurt out there. And right now, I didn't care who it was. I opened the door. A rat was crumpled on the doorstep. He was young, maybe a teenager. And he was bleeding from a bad gash on his side.

  
"Oh my-- Are you alright?! Stupid question, ignore that. Hang on, hold still." I said, trying not to jostle him as I picked him up.

  
He was lighter than he looked. I carried him to the bathroom and laid him in the tub.

  
"Hold on, hon. I'll be right back with the first aid kit." I said, dashing to the garage.

  
"Mmm-huh? Whirlwind, what's going on?" Throttle asked when I came back through, waking up.

  
"No time, Throttle. We've got an emergency." I said, making my way back to the bathroom, grabbing towels.

  
He didn't say anything, just followed me. I got back to the rat, seeing that he hadn't moved at all.

  
"Hey. Hey! Wake up, hon. Stay awake for a minute." I called, tilting his muzzle up.

  
"T-tryin'. W-who're you?" he asked, the pain slightly slurring his speech.

  
"Call me Whirlwind. This is Throttle. Say hi, Throttle."

  
"Whirlwind, that's a rat! What are you doing?!" Throttle asked, stepping back.

  
"He's hurt. Come back here, he's just a kid." I said, glaring at him.

  
"But-"

  
"No buts. Ugh, I can't believe you. He's done nothing wrong and he's seriously hurt. Who cares if he's a rat? I sure as hell don't, so why should you?"

  
I was fuming now. Ugh, men were all the same. Letting past bad experiences rule their whole perceptions.

  
"Pl-please don't fight. I s-see that enough at home. I'm K-Kion, by the way." the rat, Kion, stuttered through the pain.

  
"Alright, just don't strain yourself. Nice to meet you, Kion. Now, lay still. You're going to feel a little bit of stinging, but it'll all go numb in a moment." I said, opening the wipes that would do the trick.

  
I started by wiping all around the gash, making sure it soaked through his fur down to his skin. I waited a moment and tapped the edge of the wound.

  
"Feel that?" I asked.

  
"No. Nothing." Kion said, relief in his voice.

  
"Good. Now, I'm going to stitch you up. You need to roll over slightly, yeah like that. Alright, just stay perfectly still."

  
I got the sutures and plyers ready and got to work. Throttle stayed right next to me, handing me whatever I needed. He seemed to be embarrassed about something. Hope it was that stupid prejudice from earlier. Anyway, it didn't take as long as I anticipated to sew Kion up. He was such a good patient, too.

  
"Alright, Kion. You're all done. Can you stand?" I asked, rinsing his side with a wet cloth.

  
"Yeah. My arm hurts, though." he said, struggling to his feet in the tub.

  
"Let me see."

  
He gave me his left arm and I took it gently. He winced a little when I brushed over a swollen point.

  
"It might be broken. Now, this is going to hurt, but I have to see if the bone's broken. That means pushing through the swelling. I won't lie to you, it'll hurt like hell." I said, sitting him on the toilet.

  
"You shouldn't say that word. But alright. You wouldn't happen to have a block of wood, would you?" he asked, looking a tiny bit nervous.

  
"Does an old wooden spoon count?" Throttle asked.

  
"Yeah, as long as you don't care about it."

  
"I'll get it. It's old as the hills, warped to high heaven."

  
Kion laughed at that. Good, Throttle was making an effort to be nice. And this kid was so polite, too. He came back with the spoon. Yikes. That thing looked like it belonged in a Dr. Seuss book.

  
"Wow. You weren't kidding, Mr. Throttle." Kion said, taking the spoon.

  
"Yeah. You don't have to call me 'mister,' you know. It's just Throttle." he sad, smirking a bit.

  
Kion nodded and put the spoon in his mouth. I took that as my que. As carefully as possible, I pressed through the swelling and felt along the bone. Kion whimpered a bit, but just bit down harder on the spoon. A-ha. There it is. A small break, but a clean break nonetheless. While he was still biting the spoon, I pulled above and below the break, making the two pieces fit back together. I released his arm quickly, tears were starting to stream down his face.

  
"There we go. The bone is set, we just need to splint it. Hold on a moment, hon." I said, grabbing the splints and gauze from the kit.

  
"Th-thank you. Ick. The thpoon'th thtuck on my teeth!" he said, opening his mouth only for the spoon to stick to his upper teeth.

  
"Ha! Well, at least you have some healthy chompers kid." Throttle said, helping him dislodge the spoon.

  
"Yeah. I do brush them every day. Thank you so much. I'm sorry for bleeding all over your yard and doorstep, though. I'll clean it! I can do it."

  
"Oh, no you don't. You're going to be taking it easy until those stitches can come out. Arms up, please, I need to wrap them up." I said, getting another roll of gauze and a sterile pad out of the kit.

  
"But I-"

  
"No buts, kiddo. We'll get it clean, don't worry. Speaking of worry, how do you think the others are going to react to this?" Throttle asked, crossing his arms, "Let alone the blood on the stoop."

  
"We'll figure it out. Come on, Kion. Let's get you to the couch so you can lay down. And no arguing." I said, giving him my best stern look.

  
He nodded and let us help him to the couch. He was a dear little thing. We chatted a bit and learned quite a lot about him and his tribe. He was from one of the more peaceful tribes of nomad rats, one that usually kept to themselves. They didn't bother mice, didn't feel the need to. He was the eleven-year-old son of the chief and had been on a hunt when a hidden barbed wire trap went off. That's what made the slash in his side, the fall from the hill is what caused the broken arm. He had crawled three miles to get here, enduring all that pain. I had to tip my hat to him, he was a tough little fella. Throttle had warmed up to him now and was even talking motorcycles with him. Kion's tribe didn't have cycles, they had sail boards. Solar-and-lunar-powered skateboard-like devices with sails to catch the lights and wind. That was efficient. Heh. He was really getting along with Throttle now. But something worried me.

  
Would the others warm up to him, too?


	12. Chapter 12

_Whirlwind_

  
"Whirlwind, what were you thinking?! That's a rat!" Vinnie shouted, pacing the floor.

  
Well. My predictions that the others would listen to reason right away weren't completely correct. But two out of three isn't bad. Modo was skeptical at first, but once he saw how polite Kion was, he warmed up enough to listen to his story. Charlene didn't need much convincing. She saw he was hurt and wanted to help him. Vincent, on the other hand. . .

  
"Vincent, be reasonable. He's just a kid and he's hurt. He's hurt really badly. Look at him, do you see one single mean hair on his head?" I asked, crossing my arms.

  
"I see a rat on our couch. A rat! And how do you guys not see this?!" Vinnie ranted, incredulous.

  
"Guys, please. I don't want you to fight. I'll just go, that'll solve it." Kion said, trying to get up.

  
"Oh no you don't, kiddo. You are in no condition to travel. And don't mind Vinnie. He's never really been one to see sense." Throttle said, pushing Kion back onto the couch.

  
"What?! Me not seeing sense?! What about you guys, being all chummy with a rat! These are the guys who always try to take over, try to make us their slaves and all that. Remember?"

  
"Vincent! Enough. You heard him, his tribe doesn't do that. And his disposition does not scream evil." Modo said, placing a protective hand on Kions shoulder.

  
"Come on, guys! He's a rat! A stinking, miserable, conniving, sneaky, good-for-nothing rat!"

  
"VINCENT!" I yelled, shooting to my feet.

  
The look on my face must have been terrifying because Vinnie shrank back, his tail wrapping around his legs. How could our baby bro be so blind? You can't judge someone solely based on their species. Or even past experiences. Karbunkle held me captive for twelve years, yet I didn't go around hating all humans. How could Vinnie, the most free-willed of us all, not see the reasoning behind all this?

  
"You listen and you listen good. He has done nothing wrong. He has not even said a single word against us. He was hurt, bleeding to death on our doorstep. He was sensible enough to come to us for help. He didn't let past prejudices get in the way of common sense. And he's eleven! Why can't you do the same? Vincent, I never thought I'd have to say this. I have never been as disappointed in you as I am now. I thought you were better than this."

  
Vinnie looked crestfallen. He told me when we were little that he dreaded hearing those words from his family or friends. He may not care what people think about him, but it meant the world to him to make those he cared about proud of him. The one thing he feared the most was disappointing someone he cared about. And he had.

  
"W-Whirlwind, I. . . I'm sorry. It's just. . . The idea of a rat not meaning harm is hard to swallow." Vinnie said, his ears drooping.

  
"Well get used to it. Kion means absolutely no harm to us and we're going to take care of him until he's well enough to go home. And That's final. Do you understand me?" I said, hands akimbo.

  
He just nodded. Not good enough.

  
"Vincent. Do. You. Understand. Me." I sounded out, grabbing his chin and making him look at me.

  
"Yes ma'am."

  
"Good. Now, go get a couple of aspirin. Kion's got to be hurting."

  
"Oh, I'm fine, really. There's no need to go to anymore trouble." Kion said, shaking his head.

  
"No. You're a guest here now, Kion. And you're in pain. Let us help you." Charlene said, patting his head.

  
"Thank you."

  
And that was that. We spent a week nursing Kion back to heath. He was the perfect houseguest. He was always polite, never asked for anything except help to the bathroom, and was friendly with us all. And, eventually, Vinnie warmed up to him. Our little bro was especially interested in those sail-racers. But, eventually, the wound healed enough for the stitches to be taken out. Kion was thrilled with that, he had been itching to help us around the house as thanks for helping him. His arm still needed the brace, but he could do a lot with only one hand. I got the impression that he's had his arm broken before. And he confirmed that the day before he was able to go home.

  
"Oh, yeah. I was fooling around with my big sister and I ended up falling down the stairs. This one is nothing compared to that, the bone was showing that time." he said, helping me dust.

  
"What?! Ow!" I cried, grabbing my arm out of reflex.

  
"You're telling me. But it's fine, really. It all healed up nicely."

  
"Do you ever get upset? Or act like a normal eleven-year-old?" I asked, smiling and arching an eyebrow.

  
"Ha! What, you mean act like a snotmuffin? Yeah, totally. When I'm playing around. I don't like being a brat. As for getting upset, yeah. I get upset every now and then. But it's only when there's fighting at home. My older brother gets angry at Dad because. . . of reasons."

  
"What's wrong?"

  
"Nothing. My brother's just a normal teenager, that's all."

  
Something was wrong. His tail was twitching nervously. I put my duster down and took his out of his hand. Crossing my arms, I stared him down until he fidgeted under my gaze. Finally, he sighed and opened up.

  
"Alright. I told you that my dad's the chief, right? Well, my older brother, Ajax, is upset that he chose me as his heir instead of him. Being the eldest, it was traditionally supposed to be him, but dad didn't think he was responsible enough to handle it. And they fight about it a lot." he said, giving a shrug.

  
"Well, do you think you should be your fathers successor?" I asked.

  
"Honestly, I'm not sure. Dad sees something in me that makes him think I'd be a good leader. But I'm still just a kid, so. . ." he trailed off.

  
"Ah. Big responsibility for an eleven-year-old. Well, you're on your way to being a good leader. You're sensible, understanding, reasonable, and able to forget about past transgressions when need be. But you also need time to just be a kid. Let your father know that. If he's anything like you, he'll understand."

  
"Thanks, Whirlwind. Heh. You know, I don't remember my mom. But if she was anything like you, I think I come from good stock."

  
Wow. Damn kid, making me go "aw!" I gave him a hug and we returned to dusting. We all spent the day relaxing and playing various games. From board games to video games that Vinnie had brought back. Kion seemed to be just a normal happy-go-lucky kid now. That talk seemed to help him out. By the time we all fell asleep, you could swear we'd been friends forever.

  
Kion was gone when we woke up.

  
"I don't get it, where'd he go?" Modo asked, looking under the couch.

  
"Doubt he's under there, bro." Throttle said, scratching his head.

  
What was going on? Kion didn't seem the type to just up and leave without saying goodbye. Huh? There was something in my pocket. I pulled it out.

  
"Hey, bros! Kion left a note." I called, gesturing for them to come over.

  
"What's it say?" Throttle asked, looking over my shoulder.

  
_"Hey, Bros. . . and Sisses. . . That's weird. Hey Whirlwind, Throttle, Vinnie, Modo, and Charley._

_Sorry to leave when you're still asleep, but I think I've been away from home long enough. Don't want my brother to jump to conclusions and come after you. But I appreciate everything you've done for me. I won't be forgetting it any time soon. I did my best to clean the rest of the blood off of the doorstep before I left, though! Just know that you guys are the best friends I've ever had. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we meet. So, until we meet again, RIDE FREE CITIZENS!!!"_

  
I shook my head and folded the note back up. Vinnie actually looked sad.

  
"Aw, man. And I was just getting used to the little guy." he said, pouting a bit.

  
"Well, he had a point, Vinnie, he had to get back home. At least he waited until that slash was healed." Charley said, patting Vinnies shoulder.

  
"Yeah. His dad was probably getting worried. Don't worry, though. Like he said, I don't think we've seen the last of that kid. I have a feeling he's going to have a big part to play soon." I said, smiling.

  
Don't ask me why I had that feeling. I don't know myself. But I did know one thing for sure from our time with Kion. Change is coming.

  
I just hope it's good change.


	13. Chapter 13

_Whirlwind_

  
Another month, another bunch of rubble completely cleared. The school was now completely repaired. And the children were so excited. Heh. Well, they had been having classes in tents durning the war, so an actual roof over their heads should be better than that. I know that Jackson and Missy actually were excited to return to real school. Mostly because their class was putting on a play. A musical, to be exact. And they were required to recruit at least two adults for costumes, background painting, prop preparation, helping with music, and even extras. Naturally, they turned to us.

  
"Pleeeease! Please, sweet, loving, super-strong big brother? Please, please, please!" They begged Modo in unison. I got the impression they practiced that.

  
"I don't know, Munchkins. I'll definitely do it, but I don't know about the others." Modo said, scratching the back of his head.

  
"Well, you can count me in." I said, coming in to the room with a plate of fresh cookies.

  
"Yes! You're the best!" Jackson cheered, hugging me around the middle.

  
"Yeah, you and Modo. What about the others? You think they'd do it?" Missy asked, taking a cookie, "Hot!"

  
"Careful, they're hot." Throttle said, coming in with milk, "And I think I could make some room in my schedule to help out." Wink.

  
"Yes! That's three out of five! Just two more!" Jackson cheered again.

  
"Two more what?" Vinnie asked, walking through the front door with Charley.

  
"Yes! Hey, you know you're our favorite adults in the universe, right?"

  
"What d'ya want, kid?"

  
"Well, our class is putting on a play. And we need to recruit adults to help out with behind-the-scenes stuff. You know, costumes, backgrounds, and props." Missy explained.

  
"Well, I think we can manage that. What do you think, Charley-girl?"

  
"Count me in." Charley said, giving a thumbs-up.

  
The cheer that came from those little mouths nearly shook the house. Alright, so I was assigned the backgrounds. I had to paint all the different scenes on the backdrop. Modo had to make the costumes. Who knew our little giant was good with a needle and thread? Vinnie was in charge of the props. Charley was going to actually be in the play. She was a nanny. And Throttle would help with the music. He could play a mean guitar.

  
Apparently, the play was a story about twins that got separated when they were young. A boy and a girl. Naturally, Jackson and Missy were picked to star in the performance. It was kind of like the Prince and the Pauper. It was rather in-depth for a middle school play. They just weren't very creative with the songs. They were using pre-existing songs instead of creating new ones. But they were all from Earth, so they didn't know them very well. Like the one that Throttle was trying to teach the kids.

  
"Alright, let's try it again." Throttle said, strumming a tune on his guitar.

  
"Ugh! Throttle! We can't remember anything! And it's just a hard song to sing!" Jackson cried, slouching in his chair.

  
"I have to agree with my brother here, Throttle. This song is just weird." Missy said, sipping on her water.

  
"It's not that hard, Little Bit. Come on, just try again."

  
This was the first time I've listened in on their song rehearsal. And as soon as Throttle strummed the first bars on his guitar, I knew the song. Heh. Maybe I should show them just how easy this song is. I waited for the que to start.

  
_"Like a mountain I must conquer_

  
_Like a battle I must endure_

  
_I will fight for your honor_

  
_Steadfast and sure_

 

_'Cause I've got a vision that's fit for a king_

  
_And I've got a feeling I can do anything_

  
_And we will meet again_

  
_We will meet again_

  
_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

  
_We will meet again"_

  
The music stopped and all three of them were staring at me.

  
"What?" I asked, shrugging.

  
"Where did you learn that song?!" Jackson asked, his eyes wide.

  
"And where did that voice come from?" Missy added.

  
"My throat." I said with a cheeky grin.

  
"Heh. She's got quite the voice on her, doesn't she kids?" Throttle asked, smirking.

  
"Come on, you three. You're not getting it because you've never heard it before. Now, I don't have the actual song on me right now, but I do know it by heart. If you'll let me, I could sing it for you and it should make it easier for you."

  
They agreed immediately. I put my paintbrush down and came over to their little circle. Throttle strummed the tune and I started again.

  
_" Like a mountain I must conquer_

  
_Like a battle I must endure_

  
_I will fight for your honor_

  
_Steadfast and sure_

 

_'Cause I've got a vision that's fit for a king_

  
_And I've got a feeling I can do anything_

  
_And we will meet again_

 

_We will meet again_

  
_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

  
_We will meet again_

 

_I will search the whole world over_

  
_If that's what I must do_

  
_I'll follow every winding road_

  
_Just to be with you_

  
_'Cause I've got a dream that I just can't ignore_

  
_Before I get through, I will open every door_

  
_And we will meet again_

  
_We will meet again_

 

_And nothing can stop this journey_

  
_Across an unknown land_

  
_And like a fire that keeps on burning_

  
_We will make our stand_

 

_We are bound together by fate_

  
_Set apart by what we've found_

  
_And we'll make this sacrifice_

  
_'Cause we know where we are bound_

 

_Side by side, we will ride once again_

  
_And if we keep the flame alive, my friend_

  
_We will meet again_

  
_We will meet again_

  
_We will meet again_

 

_I will search the whole world over_

  
_If that's what I must do_

  
_I'll follow every winding road_

  
_Just to be with you_

  
_'Cause I've got a dream that I just can't ignore_

  
_Before I get through, I will open every door_

  
_And we will meet again_

  
_We will meet again_

 

_And nothing can stop this journey_

  
_Across an unknown land_

  
_and like a fire that keeps on burning_

  
_We will make our stand_

  
_And we will meet again_

  
_Yeah, yeah_

  
_We will meet again_

  
_Whoa, whoa"_

  
That made everything infinitely easier for Jackson and Missy. It only took three tries for them to get it right all the way through. They were about fifty-per cent ready for their performance. I got the backgrounds done in about three days. Vinnie got the props together the next day. And Modo got the costumes all ready the week before opening night. To say that the premier of the play was a success would be an understatement. Their play got a standing ovation from every single person in the audience. Modo had tears in his eye as his little brother and sister took their bows at the curtain call.

  
"I'm so proud of you, little rascals!" Modo cried, scooping both of them up in a bear hug at the reception party.

  
"Thanks, bro!" Jackson said, pumping his fist.

  
"Couldn't have done it without you guys." Missy said to the rest of us.

  
"Not a problem, it was so much fun!" Charley said, giving them a hug.

  
"Yeah, and your part wasn't too shabby, babe." Vinnie teased, nudging Charley's arm.

  
"Watch it, fuzzbutt."

  
"And it was thanks to Whirlwind and Throttle that we could get the songs right." Jackson cheered.

  
"Happy to help." Throttle and I said in unison. That was really weird, we did not mean to do that.

  
"And the costumes! Big bro, you outdid yourself." Missy gushed, making her big bro blush.

  
"Aw, that's just what big brothers do, little sister."

  
"The props were really well-selected." we heard one of the teachers say at the buffet table.

  
"Heh. At least someone appreciates the effort I put into it." Vinnie said, straightening his suit jacket.

  
"Get over yourself, Vinnie." Charley said, tugging his tail.

  
"And the backgrounds! Oh, goodness, they just popped! I actually believed there was an alley on stage! Or a castle wall! Or. . ." the art teacher was gushing, I stopped listening.

  
"Oh man, I wish they'd stop already." I murmured, trying to hide in my jacket.

  
"Hey, you deserve it, Sis. You're an artist." Throttle said, patting my shoulder.

  
"No, I'm just pretty good at painting in the lines."

  
He chuckled as we celebrated with the kids. This was a really happy occasion, I must admit. I don't remember ever seeing anything like this. I wasn't allowed to try out for events when I was in school. I wasn't even allowed to try out for sports teams. This felt warm and happy. I like this feeling.

  
I should have known it wouldn't last.

  
**_CRASH!!!_**


	14. Chapter 14

_Whirlwind_

  
Everyone was on the ground. Something had crashed through the wall of the gym. Something big. I looked around, checking on the kids. They all seemed to be fine, just scared to death. My bros were on their feet already by the time I got up. Looking toward the huge hole in the wall, I saw a machine with a battering ram attatched to the front of it. The dust was clearing and we could now see the driver. He was just getting out of the vehicle. A human? Was he a human? He looked like he was sweating oil or grease. Was that possible for humans? The others seemed to know him, though.

  
"Greasepit!" Throttle shouted, his fists clenching.

  
"What are you doing on our planet, scumbag?!" Vinnie called, scowling.

  
"Nice to see you, too, little mousies. Dr. Karbunkle hireded me to get the girl back for 'im. Now, if youse would just hand her over, I can get paid." he said, pulling out some sort of weapon.

  
"Yeah, right. That twisted psycho is never gonna touch our Lil' Sis ever again!" Modo yelled, getting his arm blaster ready.

  
"Aw. Well, that's too bad. Now I gotta go shootin' for the little mousies."

  
And he made the biggest mistake he could have ever made. He pointed his weapon at the children.

  
I blacked out.

  
. . .

  
_Throttle_

  
Oh, man. Greasepit's really done it now. He should never have even thought about pointing that blaster at the kids. Whirlwind went completely stock-still. Her eyes clouded over, I could swear I saw a glint of red in them. Then, the air went still. Even the dust from the crash was frozen in place. Me and my bros were focused on Whirlwind. She was staring straight at Greasepit. Then she started to step toward him.

  
"Hey! S-st-stay back! I-I-I-I'll sh-shoot!" Greasepit stuttered, pointing the blaster at her.

  
Whirlwind stayed silent. She just kept walking toward him. Her pace was steady, rhythmic, and deliberate. As she approached him, bits of rubble started to levitate around them. Greasepit was shaking violently, grease going everywhere. Whirlwind was less than five feet from him now. With a terrified yelp, he fired. We all shouted, but Whirlwind stayed still. The ball of energy that shot from the blaster. . . stopped. It was less than an inch from Whirlwinds nose, but it was suspended in the air. She brought her hand up and gripped it. That should have burned her hand to the bone. But it didn't. Instead, it started shrinking until it disappeared. And then there was an almost visible shockwave that started from where she stood and spread out to the walls of the gym.

  
What? Call me crazy, but I think it just got a little warmer in here. Wait a moment. Why was there a glow around my hand? And arm. And everyone else in the gym. And why did it make me feel safe? Huh? What's going on here? Wait. Whirlwind's on the move again. Instead of walking right up to Greasepit, she veered off a bit to stand just in front of that tank thing he rode in on. She drew her fist back level with her chin and punched the thing square in the battering ram. The metal made an earsplitting screeching sound and crumpled beneath her fist. And then the entire thing flew backward out of the building. She stood there for a moment before turning toward Greasepit.

  
The little greaseball was a mess. He had dropped the blaster and just started cowering on the ground. Whirlwind walked up to him and grabbed the front of hid overalls. He was much taller than she was, but she still held him up off of the ground. I saw her draw her free hand back with her fingers together. A jab. Normally, a jab would knock the wind out of an adversary, even leave a bruise. But with her strength. . . No. I didn't care much about Greasepit, but Whirlwind didn't deserve this. I couldn't let her do this to herself. I ran up to her.

  
"Whirlwind! Snap out of it!" I yelled, grabbing her arm.

  
I felt her snap back to reality. Her eyes cleared, her face relaxed, the floating rubble dropped to the ground, and even the glow around the rest of us disappeared. She was dazed. She looked at Greasepit above her, then at the arm I was holding. She saw her hand and her eyes widened in horror. She let go of the man and backed up a few steps, breaking my hold on her arm.

  
"Whirlwind, you alright?" I asked, holding my arms out to steady her.

  
She didn't speak. I don't think she could. She looked horrified as she looked around the gym. She looked at every face in the room. Her hands came up to cover her mouth. I could see her shaking. Oh, no. This couldn't be good. Before I could say anything, Whirlwind bolted out the hole in the wall.

  
"Whirlwind!" I called, running after her.

  
I could hear Vinnie, Charley, and Modo start to follow me. No. A big group would only stress her out more.

  
"You guys take care of the kids! I'll get Whirlwind! We'll meet you back at home!" I called over my shoulder.

  
They got the message. Good. I just kept running after Whirlwind. She had called her bike. I did the same and hopped on. Where was she going? I kept following her. I don't think she even realized I was behind her. I was going at full speed, but I was still about three yards behind her. Had to give it to her, she knew how to make a fast bike. But. . . Hey, why did this place look familiar? This was an area that was still destroyed from the war. An area we hadn't gotten to yet. So why does it look familiar?

  
Oh.

  
**Flashback**

  
_I was about twelve when I first heard her sing. I was wandering around the outskirts of our territory, the area that's mostly old abandoned buildings that have been overtaken by nature again. I was having a really crummy day. I just needed to get away from the house for a while. Well, from my dad, anyway. Ugh. I didn't want to think about it. Anyway, I came here to be alone. But I wasn't. I could hear something in the distance. A voice. It was coming from one of the old buildings. Curious, I walked up to it and peeked around the edge of the hole in the wall. That's when I saw her. Whirlwind. She was sitting in the middle of the floor. And she was singing._

  
"Wishing on a dream that seems far off

  
Hoping it will come today

  
Into the starlit night

  
Foolish dreamers turn their gaze

  
Waiting on a shooting star

  
But

  
What if that star is not to come

  
Will their dreams fade to nothing?

  
When the horizon darkens most

  
We all need to believe there is hope

 

Is an angel watching closely over me?

  
Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?

  
I know my heart should guide me but

  
There's a hole within my soul

 

What will fill this emptiness inside of me?

  
Am I to be satisfied without knowing

  
I wish then for a chance to see

  
Now all I need, desperately

  
Is my star to come..."

  
_It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Her voice was amazing. But. . . She sounded sad. I could have sworn I saw her wipe her eyes at the end there. But, as I leaned over to try to get a better look, a chunk of brick fell on my tail._

  
_"Yow!" I shouted before I could stop myself._

  
_"Who's there?!" Whirlwind called._

  
_Sheepishly, I stepped out from behind the wall. She was crouched with a knife in her hand. Ah. Stoker gave her that for protection when she went walking. Now she just stared at me in shock._

  
_"Throttle?" she asked, putting the knife away._

  
_"Hey, Whirlwind. Er. Nice voice." I said, scratching my cheek._

  
_She looked horrified. I could see a blush forming under her fur._

  
_"Aw. Cute." Wait. Did I say that out loud?!_

  
_"What?" She asked, her blush growing._

  
_"Ah! I-I m-mean. . . Uh. . . Y-y-your voice! It-it's cute. Well, I guess cute isn't the right word to use for a voice, but it's amazing!" I said, blushing myself._

  
_. . ._

  
_. . ._

  
_. . ._

  
_"Don't ever mention this again." She said flatly._

  
_Before I could say anything, she darted off. I heard her bike start and rev away._

  
**End Flashback**

  
I don't know how long I just stood there after she rode away. But the next time we hung out, she acted like it never happened. I asked Stoker about it once and he just said that spot is where she goes to be alone when she's had a bad day. And that's where she's headed right now. I saw her park her bike and dismount. She ran straight into the same old building. I got off my bike a ways away and approached the building. Looking in, I saw her kneeling on the ground, holding her head between her hands. She was still shaking.

  
"Whirlwind?" I called gently, walking into the ruined room.

  
She spun around so quick, I thought she might get whiplash.

  
"What are you doing here?!" she asked, backing away.

  
"Hey, calm down. It's alright."

  
"Go away! I don't want to hurt you!"

  
"Hurt me? You saved me. And everyone else in that gym."

  
"Throttle, I almost killed that man! I blacked out and my body moved on its own!"

  
"Hey, Greasepit aimed that blaster at children. You love children. It's only natural that you'd react that way."

  
"Throttle! You don't understand! I let my anger get the better of me and I lost control! Literally! I couldn't control my body!"

  
I understood her. I knew what she was saying, but it sounded like she was calling herself a monster. I just stepped up to her and put my hands on her shoulders.  
"Whirlwind. You're not a monster. You never --" she cut me off.

  
"Oh, come on, Throttle! A child born to unwilling parents. A child born with ink-black fur. A teenager who was kidnapped and tortured for twelve years. A mouse who's been turned into even more of a freak via some foul-tasting goop that gave me healing, strength, and telepathic abilities. I was supposed to be turned into a living weapon, Throttle! You saw the helmet, I was being designed to be a mindless soldier that could take a hit and keep going. One that didn't feel empathy or compassion. I thought all that was over, but it's not. Something became ingrained in my behavior. I should never have agreed to come back with you. I should never have decided to stay so close to innocent people! I'm nothing but a menace, a mistake! My parents were right from the start, I'm just a--!!!"

  
I don't know what came over me. Her self-deprecating rant just made my blood boil. She's one of my best friends, I was supposed to be a good one and make her feel better. Yet, I couldn't think of anything to help her. But the thought that all the shit she's been through actually got to her scared me to death. She always put on a brave face and pretended not to care. But she did. She had been holding all this in all this time. And she finally reached her breaking-point. But she wasn't ranting about the abuse. She was ranting about what everyone told her she was her whole life. And she actually believed it. That's what I couldn't stand. She was an amazing person, so full of inner and outer beauty that she practically glowed every day. Humble, warm, kind, caring, protective, helpful, and loving. She was all these things. But she couldn't see that. And that just made me mad.

  
Still, I don't know what possessed me to do what I did. I didn't even remember raising my arm. Until. . .

  
**SMACK!!!**

  
Whirlwind's head snapped to her right and stumbled back a step. She was stunned. Her hand slowly came up to the place on her cheek where my hand made contact. She didn't look up at me as she turned her head back forward. Me, on the other hand. . . I was just as stunned as she was. I looked at my hand as though it belonged to someone else. I hit her. I hit her. Now I was shaking. I looked back at her. I could tell horror was written all over my face.

  
"Whirlwind, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean--" she cut me off.

  
"Thank you."

  
"What?"

  
"I-I needed that. D-didn't mean to fall apart like that. I-I'm sorry you h-had to see that."

  
Something was wrong. She still wasn't looking up. Her hand was still on her cheek. She was unnaturally still, too. Now I was getting worried. But as I reached out to at least try to comfort her, I saw something that stopped my heart. Running down her face, dripping off her chin, and splatting onto the floor was a single tear. I have never seen her cry. Nobody has. What. . .

  
"S-sorry. I n-never wanted y-you to see me c-cry" She whispered, covering her eyes.

  
She took a shuddering breath, trying to calm herself. But her exhale turned into a sob. I could almost see all her defenses crumble and fall apart. I didn't even hesitate when I stepped forward and pulled her close. She stiffened for an instant, but she didn't try to get away. I held her as she cried into my chest. She's twenty-five years old and she's never had the comfort she needed. Born to parents who didn't even want her. Shunned by everyone else just for the color of her fur. Kidnapped at thirteen and tortured for twelve years. If anyone deserved a moment to cry, it was Whirlwind. And she's held it in all her life. It was no wonder she fell asleep after about five full minutes of letting it out.

  
I noticed her breathing slow and her shoulders relax. Looking down, I saw that she had fallen asleep. Her face was soaked. As was my chest, but that would dry on the ride home. This was the first time in a while that I've noticed how small she is. As I lifted her up to get her to my bike, I mulled over everything we've been through these past five months. Our reunion and the fear-turned-amazement when she recognized us. The morning I told her about what happened to my eyes and how I held her as she cooled down from the indignation of it. Her reception back to Mars and how happy she seemed being reunited with her uncle and sister. The strength in her voice when she stared down her abusive parents. Her falling asleep in my arms after I told her everything I loved about her. Caring for her when she was sick. Helping her nurse Kion back to health. Working with her on the play, hearing her sing almost every day. The way my heart skipped a beat whenever she said my name.

  
This was something more than what I felt when Carbine and I were together. Something that both thrilled and scared the crap out of me.

  
Maybe this was what it felt like to actually be in love.


	15. Chapter 15

_Throttle_

  
The next morning, I woke up alone. I was sure Whirlwind was with me last night. Maybe she just went to the bathroom. I sat up and stretched. What? Why was there a folded piece of paper in my hand? It had my name written on it in Whirlwinds handwriting. What was this about? I unfolded it. A note?

  
_Throttle,_

  
_Hey. You probably already know this is Whirlwind because of my horrible handwriting. But I'll be gone by the time you wake up. You've helped me so much, you and the others. And I'm sorry for breaking down like that last night. I never wanted you to see me that weak. I'd like to say that it made me feel better, but it didn't. I'd like to say that all those thoughts I blurted out last night vanished with the sunrise, but they didn't. I'd like to say that I don't feel like I'm causing anyone trouble, but I can't. The truth is, I can't in good conscience stay with you knowing that my abilities are so unstable._

  
_No matter how much I want to. You're going to think I'm stupid for saying this, but you've changed my life in more ways than one. Not just my life but my heart. For so long, I had this barrier around my heart so I wouldn't get attached to anyone. It cracked a little when I met you and the bros, but for the most part it was still intact. I never let myself develop feelings for anyone. . . Until you came along and shattered that barrier to dust._

  
_I guess this is the part where I step out from around the corner and tell you in person, isn't it? Like in those fairytales we used to love so much as kids. Yeah, and then we go off into the sunset and live happily-ever-after, right?_

  
_But this isn't a fairytale._

  
_I'm gone. And if you knew what was good for you, you won't come looking for me. You don't, and you will, though. I know you will. That's just who you are. That's what I love about you. You never give up on your friends. So I'm not going to tell you where I've gone, which direction I've taken, or even what I've taken with me. But I will tell you one thing that I didn't take with me. . . Take care of Kou for me, 'kay?_

  
_I'm so sorry for everything. Please, forget about me after you read this. Though, it's hard to forget a mistake like me, isn't it? Sorry for that, too._

  
_Take care of yourself, Throttle._

  
_Love,_

  
_Whirlwind._

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
I went completely numb. I didn't even notice the others coming through the front door with Stoker. I didn't flinch as Vinnie took the note out of my hand. I couldn't feel anything. Nothing at all. Couldn't see anything. Couldn't he--

  
"THROTTLE!"

  
My mind jumped back to reality and I looked around. Stoker was right in front of me, gripping my arms. He looked worried. Of course he's worried, his niece was out there somewhere on her own.

  
"Throttle, snap out of it! We need to find her. Come on, I know where to get some help." he said, pulling me toward the door.

  
I was completely awake now and raring to get going. I wasn't going to let her do this. Not before had a chance to tell her. Wait. Should I tell her? Hell, I dated her sister for a time! Ugh! Not now! Right now, I had to follow Stoker. Where was he leading us? It was a smaller neighborhood full of simple houses. Except for one at the very end of a street. It was pretty big, three stories and pretty grand, to be honest. We rode right up to the front doors. Stoker immediately ran right up to the doors and started knocking.

  
"Come on, open up." Stoker mumbled, still knocking.

  
"Alright, alright, hold your horses, young'un!" a voice said as the door opened.

  
There stood a tall, lean-muscled, caramel-furred mouse with steel-grey hair cut into a buzzcut. Beside him was a much shorter, grey-furred mouse with salt-and-pepper hair tied into a high bun. I knew these mice. Surge and Poppy. Whirlwind's grandparents.

  
"Ma, Pa, we've got a situation here." Stoker said, urgency clear in his voice.

  
"Woah, son, what's the matter?" Surge asked, stepping outside.

  
"It's Whirlwind. She's run off and we don't know where to find her. We need your help."

  
"What?! Whirlwind's alive?! And you didn't tell us sooner?!" Poppy scolded.

  
"You've been away for the last five months, Ma! There was no way to contact you. But that's behind the point. She's run off. We need your help."

  
"Relax, Squeaker. We're on it. You and your friends go gather some more help. Go to Carbine." Surge said, running back into the house.

  
"Carbine?! Are you kidding? She does what her parents say, she's not going to help us!" I called, clenching my fists.

  
"Have some faith, Throttle. Carbine may not be the easiest person to get along with or trust, but she loves her sister." Poppy said, following her husband.

  
I groaned and got back on my bike. Against my better judgement, we headed to Carbines base of operations. We had to wait about five minutes until we were let into her office.

She wasn't in a good mood.

  
"What do you want, Uncle? Can't you see I'm busy?" she asked, barely looking up from her books.

  
"Carbine, we need your help. Whirlwind's run off and we need help finding her." Stoker said, closing the book.

  
"What? What do you mean, she ran off?"

  
"She lost control of her abilities last night and had a little bit of a breakdown. When I woke up this morning, she was gone." I said, crossing my arms.

  
"What did you do?"

  
"What do you mean by that?!"

  
"My sister wouldn't just run off for no reason, she's not like that. What did you do?"

  
"I didn't do anything except try to help her! It's because of you and your stupid parents that she has depression issues!"

  
"I never did anything to her! And besides, you were often the reason she got into trouble at home. Don't think I didn't notice you helping her sneak out of the house before sunrise."

  
"I was only trying to cheer her up! And I never even knew what kind of hell she was being put through at that poor excuse for a home!"

  
"And that's my fault? If anything, it's our grandparents' fault. They didn't let mom put her up for adoption. Neither did they take her from them."

  
"What are you saying right now?! Ugh! You may not have done anything, but maybe that's part of the problem. You didn't do anything! You could have spoken up, or gotten them to stop, or even gone to the police a few times. You're just as much to blame as they are!"

  
"Listen, I love my sister. But I can't divert attention from rebuilding Mars to bring her home. You're going to have to do it yourself."

  
She went back to her books. I couldn't believe this. She claimed to love her sister, but she wouldn't even lift a finger to help her! I was at my breaking point. I walked up to her desk and snatched the book away, throwing it against the wall.

  
"Listen to me, you little brat! Whirlwind adores you, she'd swim through a volcano just to make you laugh. And you won't even help us bring her back? What kind of sister are you? I can't believe you're related to her. She just may be the best mouse I know and to even think she's related to someone like you makes me sick! You don't want to help her, fine. But don't sit there and lie by saying you love her!"

  
She looked at me a moment. Mostly out of shock, but I could see the cogs whirling in her head. She was thinking something. What was it? I got my answer a moment later.

  
"You love her."

  
It was a statement, not a question. It was my turn to look shocked. How did she figure that out? Her of all people. I took an involuntary step back, giving her the answer she needed.

  
"You do, don't you? Does she know? Stupid question, of course she doesn't know. She wouldn't have run off if she did. Heh. Best friends with the biggest Casanova there ever was and you can't even tell a girl how you feel? That's one of your problems, you know. Too proud to look even the slightest bit weak." she said, sitting back in her chair.

  
"Are you kidding me?! I don't care about that crap, Carbine, you do. And what do you mean by weak? There's nothing weak about admitting that you care about someone."

  
"Then why haven't you told her?"

  
. . .

  
I couldn't answer her. I didn't know why I never told her. Truth be told, I started having a crush on her when I was eleven. She was the coolest girl I had ever met. She had the most beautiful eyes. She had the best personality. She had all the traits I admired in a mouse. Why didn't I ever tell her back then? I know why I can't tell her now, why I don't want to make her feel worse than she already does now. But why didn't I then?

  
"Go on, then. I'll send out a contingent to help you search. But I can only spare one. Find her. Bring her home." Carbine said, picking up a file and scribbling in it.

  
That was that, I guess. We go out of the building and went on our search. Vinnie, Modo, and Charley went to meet and brief the promised contingent. Stoker and I went on our own to get ahead. With Kou right on our heels, we sped out into the desert. It was just about as far away from people as you can get, so we figured that was our best bet.

  
"So. . . You got the hots for Whirlwind, huh?" Stoker asked out of the blue.

  
"Wha'?!" I nearly went skidding across the sand.

  
"You alright, Bro?"

  
"I-I'm fine. But. . . Yeah. G-guess I do." I'll never hear the end of this.

  
"And why won't you tell her?"

  
"It's. . . I just. . . I can't. I mean, I dated her sister first! Sure, that ended terribly, but still."

  
"Ah. Don't want to follow in your old man's footsteps, huh?"

  
"What? How do you know about that?"

  
"Oh, come on, Throttle. He trusted me enough to take care of you, don't you think I'd know about what happened after your mom died? I know he turned to her sister after she died, and I know what that did to your relationship with him. The relationship wasn't that good, either, from what I remember. What did you call him after that? A sister-hopper?"  
"Yeah. I'm not going to do that to her. Second choice and all that. She has more than enough to deal with right now."

  
"Throttle, come on! She adores you. She always has. Modo may have been the one to get her to speak to you bros, but you're the one who got her out of her shell. You're the one she bonded with the most. You were the most important person in her life. On par with her sister. If you ask me, the two of you were meant for each other from the start."

  
"Stoker, just drop it. We need to find her."

  
Not long after I said that, we spotted something in the distance. A slim figure standing in the sand. My heart skipped a beat as we sped toward it. I was so eager to see even the slightest sign of Whirlwind, it took control over my instincts. Maybe that's what got us into trouble. The figure wasn't Whirlwind. It was a rat.

  
And he wasn't alone.


	16. Chapter 16

_Throttle_

  
Oh crap. Crap crap crap. This rat looked mean. Now, from our time with Kion, I've learned not to judge so quickly. But this guy and his possy were snarling at us.

  
"What's a couple of prissy mice doin' out here in the desert? Not the place for you delicate little things." the leader said, crossing his arms.

  
He was a big guy. Broad shoulders, steel-grey fur, and sharp fangs glinting in the sun. His dark eyes held a sarcastic glint in them.

  
"Listen, we don't want any trouble. We're just out here looking for my niece." Stoker said, raising his hands in peace.

  
"What's your niece doing out here?"

  
"It's a long story. Please, just let us pass so we can look for her. Please, it's not safe for her out here." I said, anxiously looking toward the sun.

  
It was true. With her dark fur, this sun would cook Whirlwind alive. Oh man, the thought of her out here alone. . . Woah. Come on, Throttle, this isn't the time to lose your head. I had to keep an eye on these guys.

  
"Heh. Not safe, huh? Why? Is it because of us? You think we'd just attack any random mouse that wandered out here?"

  
"No! Not at all. It's her fur. She has ink-black fur and the sun and this heat would kill her if she's out here." Stoker said, his tail twitching.

  
. . .

  
"You wouldn't have been wrong if you thought the other thing."

  
The leader snapped his fingers and his cronies rushed us. There had to be at least a dozen of them. Way too many for us to take on alone. And they were fast. Stoker and I got in a couple of good swings before they knocked us off our bikes. They had us tied up in moments. Damn, we didn't have time for this! But I didn't have too much time to think about it. They knocked us out with some sort of chloroform.

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
Huh? Ow. My head. What's going on? We were underground now, on some kind of wagon. Oh man, poor Stoker. He wasn't a young mouse anymore, that stuff wasn't agreeing with him too well.

  
"Hey. Stoker. Stoker, you alright?" I whispered.

  
"Ugh. I have this awful taste in my mouth and my old head is pounding like a bongo drum. Other than that, I'm fine." he said, looking around.

  
"Yeah. I think they're taking us to their burrow. We're definitely underground."

  
"You've got that right, mouse." the leader rat said from the front of the wagon.

  
"Why are you doing this?! We have someone to find, come on, let us go!" I called, trying to get out of these ropes.

  
"Eh, that little squeaker can wait. We got plans for you two."

  
"Don't call her that! Her name is Whirlwind. She's out there somewhere alone, we need to find her!"

  
"Throttle, calm down. It's alright, we'll find her. Just have faith in her, she can take care of herself." Stoker said, his tail twitching again.

  
I couldn't concentrate on anything. My mind was full of Whirlwind, stumbling around in the desert under the hot sun. No. No, I couldn't imagine her out there. My foot was twitching and I could have sworn I was making the wagon bounce. Where were they taking us anyway? I got my answer a moment later. We had entered a large round chamber with rats spectating from viewing areas up the walls.

  
"You mice just waltz right into our territory unannounced, and then expect us to just let you pass." said a voice from a balcony at the front of the room, "After all this time, after all the bloodshed and driving us into this desert, you think you can just go freely through? I don't think so, mice."

  
We were dragged out of the wagon and into the center of the room. We were surrounded by large rats with spears pointed right at us. What's going on here? What's happening? One of the rats nudged me with the flat of his spear and gestured for me to look up. I did. At the balcony, I could see the largest rat I had ever seen. His fur was a deep sable streaked with grey, running over muscles that seemed to pulse. His amber eyes held a spark of intelligence that put me on edge. But those eyes looked familiar somehow. Where had I seen eyes like that before? Uh. . . No time to wonder about that now. The big rat crossed his arms.

  
"I am Kieran. Leader of this tribe of nomad rats. What business have you in our territory." he called down in a gruff voice.

  
"Look, we're sorry for the intrusion. But we were looking for someone. Please, she's all alone out there somewhere." I called up, desperation clear in my voice.

  
"Looking for someone? 'She?' Of whom do you speak?"

  
"Her name is Whirlwind. She's about five-foot-two, she has ink-black fur, really long onyx-colored hair, a scar on her right eye, and beautiful deep blue eyes. Have you seen her?"

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"I have." he said simply.

  
"You have?! Where is she? Can you point us in the right direction? Please, we just want to bring her home!"

  
. . .

  
"That will be a problem."

  
"Why?"

  
Instead of answering, Kieran turned and walked out of sight. I heard the leader rat from before chuckle. What was that supposed to mean? Ugh, this was taking too long! Whirlwind could be out there right now and we're stuck here! It seemed like an eternity before Kieran returned to the balcony.

  
"Does this mouse look familiar?" he asked, dragging someone forward.

  
No. No! This couldn't be happening. Please don't let this be real.

  
It was Whirlwind.

  
And she was covered in blood.


	17. Chapter 17

_Whirlwind_

  
That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I never wanted to leave my bros, especially Throttle, but with my powers so unstable. . . I just couldn't put them at risk like that. I woke up laying on Throttles chest again. No drooling, but I felt the dried tears on my face. Ugh. I made my decision as soon as I wriggled out of Throttles grip. I quickly wrote a note and tucked it into his hand. After that, I packed a few supplies and headed out. I was going into the desert. Fewer chances of hurting someone out there. As I walked away from the house, I heard Kou waking up. Oh, poor thing.

  
"Hey, Kou. You're going to have to stay here. They can track me if you're with me. Don't worry, Throttle will take good care of you." I told her, patting her rich green chassis.

  
She made a few noises, but stayed where she was. With a sad wave, I headed out. It was still really early, so I managed to avoid meeting anyone on the streets. The sun had risen by the time I reached the edge of the desert. I walked for hours, stopping only to either eat, drink, or relieve myself. It was high noon before I saw any sign of life.

  
And that life was not friendly.

  
"Hey! What's a lone mouse doing all the way out here?" asked a voice from behind a boulder.

  
A rat stepped out from behind the boulder. A big rat. Broad shoulders, steel-grey fur, unusually long fangs, and dark sarcastic eyes.

  
"Well, you going to answer or not?" he asked, crossing his arms.

  
"Nothing. I'm just. . . Wandering." I said, keeping my distance.

  
"Wandering, huh? Why're you alone?"

  
He was snarling. What do I do? I may have these abilities, but I don't want to hurt him for no reason. Perhaps I could try intimidation.

  
"Take a look at my fur, man. I'm a demon to them. Heh. I'm pretty messed up, too. Some human scientist kidnapped me when I was thirteen and experimented on me until just four months ago. That experimentation gave me healing powers and freakish strength. I can move things with my mind, too." I said, demonstrating by lifting a nearby rock.

  
He looked slightly impressed. But then chuckled.

  
"Well, then. That means I don't have to go so easy on you."

  
And he rushed me. He was fast! He aimed a punch at my head and I ducked. His tail grabbed my ankle and pulled my leg out from under me. Dirty trick! He aimed an axe kick at me and I blocked with my crossed forearms. Using his momentum, I knocked him to the ground with me. I effectively knocked the wind out of him with an elbow jab to the chest. Getting up, I faced him as he struggled to his knees. I had a bit of a gash on my leg from the fall, but it was already healing. He saw that and his eyes went wide. Then he smirked and launched himself at me. He used his claws and teeth freely, tearing at me wherever he could reach. And this guy was huge! He kept at it until I'd had enough.  
With a shriek of effort, I mind-blasted him off of me. He went flying, sprawling on the ground when he landed. I slouched a bit, wincing as my wounds healed. He growled at me from where he was crouching. What was up with this guy? I didn't do anything to him! I know rats are capable of acting civilized, Kion proved that! Why wouldn't he just leave me alone?! Oh, man, seriously?! He was charging at me again. I tensed my legs, preparing for the impact. He launched at me, almost flying though the air. . .

  
"AJAX!!!" we heard another voice shout from a ways away.

  
My attacker lost his composure and tumbled in the sand to my right. As he groaned, I looked toward the voice. I couldn't believe my eyes. That sable fur, medium build, and those glittering amber eyes.

  
"Kion?!" I cried, my eyes growing wide.

  
"Whirlwind! I knew it was you!" he called, running up to me.

  
He hugged me tight, almost knocking me over. I hugged back, happy to see him again and relieved that he was there to stop this stupid fight.

  
"What are you doing out here?" he asked, letting go and looking me over.

  
"Long story short, my abilities went haywire and I had to get away from everyone so I could try to master them without putting anyone in danger. You?" I asked, shrugging.

  
"Are you alright? Oh! Yeah, I was looking for my brother. Ajax! Get over here! This is my friend, Ajax. You know, the one who nursed me back to health after I got hurt? Remember, I described all of them for you? Did you forget?" he said, looking at the rat on the ground.

  
"Oh, so this is your brother. It's nice to meet you, Ajax." I said, extending my hand out for him to take.

  
"You're the one who helped my little brother? I. . . Thank you. I apologize for attacking you." Ajax said, taking my hand and letting me hoist him up, "Woah. You are strong."

  
"Thanks. It's okay. I'm all healed up now, so no harm done. Woah."

  
Uh-oh. That's not good. High noon in the desert with black fur is not a good thing. I got really dizzy and stumbled back a bit.

  
"Whirlwind! What's the matter?! Are you alright?!" Kion asked, grabbing my arm to steady me.

  
"Hot. Sun and black fur do not mix well. My head is swimming. . . Hello fishy. . ."

  
And then my brain melted.

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
I woke up in a bed. I was in a cool room with a cool towel on my head. Sitting up, I noticed that I was still in my clothes. Still covered in blood, but I wasn't "swimming" anymore. I was just about to stand up when Kion came through the door.

  
"Whirlwind?" he asked, hurrying to my side.

  
"Yeah. I'm alright. Sorry if I scared you." I said, standing up.

  
"Well, that's good. I would have hated for you to have been seriously hurt." said a new, gruff voice.

  
I looked toward the doorway and there stood a huge adult rat. Grey-streaked sable fur over large muscles, bright amber eyes, and an intense fatherly stare. His eyes were exactly the same as Kion's.

  
"Hello, my dear. I am Kieran, leader of this tribe and father of Ajax, Rae, and Kion. It's a pleasure to meet the savior of my youngest child." he said, extending his hand for me to shake.

  
"It's nice to meet you as well, Kieran, sir. You've raised two fine sons. Ajax is quite the fighter." I said, shaking his hand.

  
"Ah. Thank you, dear. And I apologize for his brashness. He's quite headstrong especially when strangers wander into our territory."

  
"That's understandable. I didn't really make things better by trying to scare him. That was a bad move on my part. Heh. Thought everyone would instantly fear a black-furred mouse. Glad to know that's a misconception."

  
"Indeed. Now, if you don't mind, would you please tell me why you were out there giving yourself sunstroke?"

  
Oh man. This was the part I was hoping we could skip. But I did owe them for caring for me when I passed out. I started to recount everything. Starting from when I was a child. I thought it would make more sense to them if I started from the beginning. It took a while, but I finally got it all out. I did leave out the feelings that I developed for Throttle, though. I still wasn't sure about them myself yet.

  
"That's quite the tale, my dear. I'm amazed that your personality or disposition haven't suffered due to all of that." Kieran said, handing me a cup of some kind of juice. It was delicious.

  
"Yeah. Just my subconscious, I guess. I don't know what's going on." I said, shrugging.

  
"It will come to you in time, sweetie. Now, tell me about this Throttle you speak so fondly about."

  
"What?"

  
"Come now, dear. I have an adult daughter with a fiancé, I know when young ladies are in love."

  
Love? Heh. That was a word that had always sounded like a myth to me. I felt love toward my sister, uncle, grandparents, bros and their families. But I knew that the kind of love Kieran was talking about was the kind of love I had read about in books. Or heard in stories. Those fairytales that we had all loved listening to as kids. I don't know. I was born a demon, an abomination. It was drilled into my head for ten years before I met my bros that nobody would ever love me because of my fur. I had never sought a romantic type of love. Not that I'd had much time for that before I was kidnapped. But it had never crossed my mind.

  
But being around Throttle these past four months. . . Every time I felt down, he would be there to cheer me up. He always got me to see the best parts of myself. He made me feel like I was a person, not the demon I've been told I was. He held me as I cried, something I had never done in front of him or anyone. He hadn't recoiled in disgust, he had comforted me until I fell asleep against his chest. When I was with him, I felt warm, protected, safe. And the ache in my chest when I was writing that note, the ache I still felt even now. . . Could that be my heart breaking?

  
"I. . . Guess I am. . . I'm still new to all this." I said quietly.

  
"It's alright, Whirlwind. He's a lucky mouse." Kieran said, patting my shoulder.

  
"No. Whatever I feel about Throttle, there's no way he feels the same. Who would?"

  
"Enough. Do you remember what it was it he said to you the night you had that nightmare? His words exactly?"

  
Of course I did. I knew them by heart.

  
_"Well, I think your eyes are amazing. They're such a beautiful shade of blue. Your hair is lovely. Soft and perfect for running your fingers through. That scar was not your fault. And your fur is stunning. Soft and warm, practically begging for someone to stroke it. As for your mental state, if this is what you call fucked up, I'd hate to see what you call normal. You're perfect just the way you are. Don't ever think differently."_

  
"Exactly. Now, if you ask me, that was a textbook expression of true feelings. He sounds like a sincere young man. It's clear to me that he loves you just as much as you love him." he said, tilting my chin up so I was looking him in the eyes.

  
Maybe he was right. Ugh, I'm so stupid! I just ran off thinking I was protecting them all! Even though I know that they're probably out there right now, looking for me! Oh man. . . Huh? A messenger rat came into the room and whispered something in Kieran's ear. He nodded and dismissed the messenger.

  
"My dear, I have some business to attend to. Would you be alright here by yourself?" he asked, patting my hand.

  
"Yes sir. I'll be fine."

  
He nodded and left the room with Kion. What was going on? Heh. Must be a rat thing. I just paced the room a few times. I couldn't seem to stay still. Until I found a book in the corner of a shelf. A collection of works by Edgar Allan Poe. What was this doing here? Nevermind, I love Poe. I got through to _The Pit and the Pendulum_ when I heard a knock at the door.

  
"Whirlwind? My dear, would you come with me, please?" Kieran asked, poking his head into the room.

  
"Sure." I said, marking my place.

  
He took me to a small chamber. Kion was there, holding a rope and something else.

  
"Hey, Whirlwind. This is going to sound weird, but do you trust us?" he asked, looking apologetic.

  
"Yeah, of course I do." I said, not missing a beat.

  
"Alright, my dear. You doubt this Throttles feelings for you, right? Well, I've come up with a way to show you that you should not. All you have to do is remain silent." Kieran explained, gently patting my shoulders.

  
"A-alright. And the ropes?"

  
"Just a ruse, I assure you. They will not be tight. Purely for show. Same with the gag."

  
"Oh. So that's what that is. I thought is was a blindfold."

  
"Ha! I suppose it could be, my dear. Alright, let's get this over with, shall we?"

  
I nodded and Kion started binding my arms behind me. He did use very loose knots, the ropes didn't rub on my wrists at all. The gag was a little uncomfortable. I felt like I was going to drool all over the place. But it wasn't restricting. Anyway, they led me to a balcony.

  
"Does this mouse look familiar?" Kieran called down in a harsh voice, pulling me forward.

  
I took a look down into the chamber and my heart skipped a beat. There, in the center of at least a dozen rats holding spears, were Stoker and Throttle. Throttle looked like he was about to scream. Stoker. . . Not so much. Why. . .

  
"I told your uncle about the situation while Throttle was still out cold. He knows everything." Kion whispered from behind me.

  
Ah. That explains it. But Throttle looked like he was about to have a breakdown.

  
"I take it this is your Whirlwind." Kieran called down to them.

  
"What have you rats done to her?!" Throttle shouted up at him.

  
What did he. . . Oh. Bloody clothes. Thanks, Ajax.

  
"We have done nothing. My scouts found her an my son there grappling in the middle of our territory. She landed a brutal hit to my son, using her unnatural abilities to send him flying backward. The penalty for assaulting the son of the chief of a tribe of nomad rats is 'donating' a liter of blood." Kieran announced, producing a knife.

  
That's bullshit. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. But this seemed to work on Throttle.

  
"NO! Don't you dare touch her!" he shouted, struggling wildly against his bonds.

  
Woah. He looked like he wanted to rip Kieran's head off. He kept looking from him to me, as if he dared Kieran to come anywhere near me with that knife.

  
"That is the law of the nomad rats. My son was injured. The penalty must be paid." Kieran called down, pulling me slightly closer.

  
"Then take it from me!" Throttle cried, shocking everyone in the room.

  
"What was that?"

  
"If you need blood so badly, then take mine! Leave her alone! She's been through enough shit in her life, the last thing she needs is to be bled almost to death for something that probably wasn't even her fault!"

  
"I care not for what she's been through. What I care about is the penalty. There will be no substitutions."

  
"NO! I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND LET YOU HURT HER! TAKE THE STUPID PENALTY FROM ME AND LEAVE HER ALONE!"

  
My heart was banging in my ears. Throttles voice echoed off of the walls of the room, ringing in my head. I could see tears streaming down his face as he glared up at Kieran. In turn, tears made their way down my own face as well. He cared that much? Wait. . . Did that mean. . .

  
"I believe we've got our answer, my dear, don't you?" Kieran asked me, smiling.

  
With a nod, I easily shook the ropes off of my wrists and took the gag out of my mouth. Throttle looked like he'd just been hit in the face with a shovel. After wiping my eyes, I jumped from the balcony. I landed easily on my feet, not even feeling the usual pins-and-needles sensation that usually accompanied that stunt. I held up my hands and the soldiers lowered their spears, each of them smiling. I walked up to Throttle and motioned for one of the guards to cut him free. I decided to speak while he was rubbing the feeling back into his wrists.

  
"Hey. Throttle, I'm so sorry. This wasn't my idea, for one thing. For another, I'm so sorry I ran off like that, I was being stupid. I was so sure nobody would bother searching for me after what almost happened, that I just ran off into the desert. There are a lot of things I still don't know about, including feelings other than fear and pain. I barely even know what love is besides some idealistic fantasy in a fairytale. I'll understand if you never want to speak to me aga--!!" My brain stopped working.

  
Throttle had taken either side of my face into his hands and pressed his lips to mine. All of his desperation, fear, relief, and joy was in this one kiss. That and something I was slowly starting to get to know. Love. From the way he held me close like he was protecting me from the world, to how his lips moved on mine made me feel warm and loved. After what seemed like an age, I relaxed and let my instincts take over. I had never kissed anyone before, so I doubt I was any good at it. But he didn't seem to notice.  
After what felt like an eternity, the need for air became unbearable and we parted. He looked straight into my eyes, his thumbs rubbing soft circles into my cheeks. With a breathy sob, he pulled me in for a hug, holding me as close as he could without squeezing me half to death.

  
"Oh, Whirlwind. I was so afraid I was going to lose you. Please, don't ever do that again. Scared me to death. I swear, you're going to make me grey before my time. I love you. I love you so much." he murmured in my ear, his fingers running through my hair.

  
He said it. He actually said it. He never says anything if he doesn't mean it. He loved me. He actually loved me. Aw, man. Why does he have such a talent for getting me to cry? Well, maybe it was a mix of a sob and a laugh. I smiled through the tears streaming down my face. My hands gripped his vest as I whispered the four words I never thought I'd be able to sincerely say.

  
"I love you, too."


	18. Chapter 18

_Whirlwind_

  
Oh boy, am I in trouble. Alright, so Throttle came down from that shock of finding me and started laying into me about running off. That and pulling that trick. I told him it wasn't my idea, but it didn't matter. He basically said that I was grounded, he wasn't letting me out of his sight for a long while. He'll do anything he can to keep me in his sightline. He'd handcuff us together if he has to. The only times he'll let me be alone is when I'm on the toilet or in the shower. He was M-A-D.

  
"Throttle, calm down a little. She's fine, we have her back, chill." Stoker said with a smirk, his arm around my shoulder.

  
"Easy for you to say! You were in on that little prank, Stoker. I nearly had a heart attack back there! I was ready to tear some heads off!" Throttle ranted, still pacing.

  
We were in Kieran's living chamber now. Stoker, Kion, and I were sat on the couch while Ajax and Kieran were in armchairs on either side. Throttle was pacing in front of us. I couldn't help but feel terrible for putting them through all this, especially after that . . . moment we had. I was still blushing from that. I hadn't spoken since we came into this room, partly from the shock of the whole thing. But mostly out of remorse for what I put them through. Ugh, I was stupid.

  
"You're not stupid, quit thinking that." Throttle said, seemingly reading my mind.

  
"Eep! How'd you know?" I asked, flinching a bit.

  
"I know you, Whirlwind. Come here. It's alright, just come here."

  
I stood up, standing in front of him. He pulled me into his arms again and held me there. Not painfully, but tight enough to let me know that he wasn't about to let go. I could break his hold easily, minimum effort required, but I just stayed put.

  
"You are in big trouble, you know that?" he asked, squeezing a bit.

  
"Yeah."

  
"I'm serious about not letting you out of my sight, you know. I will be with you twenty-four-seven until I know you're not going to run off again."

  
"I know."

  
"And you've got a lot of apologizing to do. Not only to me and Stoker, but Vinnie, Modo, their families, your grandparents, Carbine, the contingent of soldiers she loaned us. Everyone. Understand?"

  
"Yes."

  
"Good. You can start by calling them all on my communicator and telling them you're alright."

  
He let me go and handed me his communicator. With a sigh, I pressed the V, M, and C buttons simultaneously. I waited a bit before three voices answered.

  
_"Hello?"_ Vinnie, Modo, and Charley said through the device.

  
"Hey, guys. It's me. Throttle and Stoker found me. I'm fine." I said awkwardly.

  
_"What?! Whirlwind! Are you alright? What's going on? Why did you leave like that? Where are you?"_

  
All the questions were asked at the same time. It took a moment to decipher what was being said. But I got it.

  
"I'm fine. A bit humiliated, but alright. I'll tell you everything when we get back together. I'm in the desert. I'm kind of a guest at Kions place. I'll send you the coordinates."

  
_"Alright. We'll be there soon. Don't go anywhere."_ Modo said, relief in his voice.

  
With cheers from the other two, I sent the coordinates and hung up. With a sigh, I handed Throttle the communicator back. He still looked a little cross, but at least this was a start.

  
"Well, I guess I'll go up top to help them find us." Ajax said, stretching as he stood up, "Good luck, squirt."

  
He ruffled my hair as he left the room. Then Stoker stood up and threw his arms around both of our shoulders.

  
"Well, I think this all worked out fine. We got Whirlwind back and, more importantly, you finally admitted to what we all knew all along. Come on, Lover Boy, don't give me that look. It was pretty obvious from when you guys were kids." he said, giving Throttle a shake.

  
"It was?" I asked, blushing again.

  
"You didn't catch on? Really? Heh wow, Sweetheart, thought you were perceptive. Yeah, Throttle here had a major crush on you since he first saw you. Now, being an awkward thirteen-year-old boy, he never told you. And then you were kidnapped. It's actually kind of sad that it had to come to this kind of thing for you to admit it, bro."

  
"Enough, Stoker. It's not like we had much choice. This little hardhead went and ran off on us." Throttle said, gently punching my arm.

  
"Sorry. But I do need to learn how to control these abilities. However, before you say anything, I see that you're not going to let me just go off on my own to do so. So, if any of you get hurt, it's on your own heads. Not that I won't still feel guilty." I said, smirking a bit.

  
"That's a start, don't you think, Throttle?" Kion asked, his eyes pleading a bit.

  
"Yeah, it is. As long as you don't leave us again, Whirlwind. Please." Throttle said, stroking my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

  
Now why did he have to do that? I could tell he was fuming mad, but he was treating me so gently. Like I'd break. Heaven knows, this guy is perfect. Him and the others. Why did I want to leave them again? Oh, yeah. I'm stupid.

  
"I promise, I will _never_ leave your sides again." I said. I meant it.

  
That seemed to be enough for Throttle. He smiled and pulled me in for another hug. He looked like he was going to kiss me again, but. . .

  
_"THROTTLE! WE'VE GOT TROUBLE!"_ Vinnies voice came screeching thorough the communicator, scaring the you-know-what out of us.

  
"Vinnie? What's going on, bro? What's wrong?" Throttle asked, instantly alert.

  
"Don't know, bro. We've got two rogues on our tails, and these guys are seriously bad news! Don't know how, but they know our moves! This rat, Ajax, has already taken a hard hit. We need backup, now!"

  
"Hold tight, bros, we're on our way!" I called through the device, my fur bristling.

  
And we were off. Kieran and Kion were on our heels, rushing to Ajax's aid as well as our bros'. It didn't take long to reach our bikes and take off. Kion and his father mounted their solar sails and kept right on our tails. I had a sinking feeling that this was not going to be pleasant. Can't explain why, but I did. I instinctively kept an eye on Throttle for some reason. Gah! No time for that now, we had to get to the others.

  
It wasn't hard to find them. There was a giant dust cloud in the middle of the landscape. And in the center was. . . a group of soldiers? Wait. . . I could see Modo, Vinnie, Charley, and Ajax. But I could also see a lot of other mice. Mostly soldiers, but from different factions. And I recognized one of them as the Lightning Battalion. And there, in the front of them, were Grandpa Surge and Grandma Poppy. Oh, they hadn't changed a bit. Still had those murderous glints in their eyes when their dear ones were threatened. And there was one soldier from the other faction that seemed out of place. Female, by her shape, but wearing a helmet.

  
But what about the rogues? I tried to focus on them, but they were riding too fast. I just got flashes of sand and chocolate. But we didn't have time to try and figure out who these guys are. We had to get in there. I looked over at Throttle and, as if on que, he raised his fist into the air. I smirked and did the same with Stoker. Kion followed, and his father after him.

  
"Alright, everyone. We've got to get our bros out of there. LET'S ROCK. . . " Throttle started.

  
"AND RIDE!" we all chanted together. Well, except for Kieran. He didn't know what we were doing.

  
And we were off. We rode toward the cloud and launched into the middle of it. We were greeted by cheers from the group, but we couldn't afford to pay it any mind. Exchanging some signals with Modo, Vinnie, and Charley; Throttle, Stoker, and I took up positions at three outer points of the group. They did the same, making six points. Activating our cannons, we aimed them at the ground. We waited for the right time. . . Now! We fired at the same time, effectively sending the assailants flying.

  
The cloud dissipated and we could see the chosen vehicles of the rogues. ATVs. One designed for racing, the other built like a tank. The drivers were sprawled out on the sand, knocked out cold for now. But before we could investigate. . .

  
"WHIRLWIND!!!" six voices called at the same time.

  
I felt myself being lifted off of Kou by a strong pair of arms. Modo scooped me up and swung me around. Then Vinnie nearly crushed my ribs in a vice-hug. Charley was slightly less violent, but she got her point across. They were all scared to death. Then, I heard a pair of voices that sent a cool wave of delight through my veins.

  
"Whirlwind?" a deep, gruff male voice said from behind me.

  
"Are you alright, dear?" a sweeter, female voice added.

  
I turned around and saw them. My grandparents. They had a few more strands of grey in their hair and fur, but it was them. They hadn't changed a bit.

  
"Grandma? Grandpa? Is that you?" I asked, my eyes widening.

  
"Oh, Whirlwind! It's you, you're alive!" Grandma cried, throwing her arms around me.

  
"Baby Girl, you don't know how long we've waited for this day." Grandpa said, joining Grandma.

  
I was stunned for a moment, the shock of seeing my grandparents again after all this time still sinking in. Then, once I saw a tear fall from Grandpa Surges eye, I thawed. I flung my arms around them both the best I could and held on to them as tight as possible. It never even crossed my mind that this was a very awkward time to have this kind of reunion. Ah, screw it, it was my grandparents. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. There was only one thing that made me break away from them.

  
"Whirlwind?"

  
The voice came from behind Grandpa, slightly muffled. Extracting myself from my grandparents, I looked toward the voice. It was the strange soldier I couldn't identify earlier. Her helmet was still on, but it looked like she was working on remedying that. With a few annoyed grunts, she finally unclasped her helmet. We were shocked when we saw who was under it.

  
"Carbine?! What are you doing here?!" Throttle asked, obviously befuddled.

  
"Really, Throttle? Did you really think that I'd leave my sister out in the desert and not come help? How heartless do you think I am?" my sister said with an annoyed expression that changed to genuine concern, "Are you alright, Whirlwind? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? What's with all the blood?"

  
"I'm fine, Sister. I'll tell you in due time, but right now, I think I have some apologies to make. I'm sorry for making you all worry." I said, accepting the hug Carbine gave me.

  
"There will be time enough for that later, Baby Girl. Look." Grandpa said, nodding toward the two assailants just starting to stir.

  
Steeling my nerves, I led my bros over to them as they got up. They weren't wearing helmets, so it's a shocker that they weren't killed. But something jogged my memory about them. The one that was on the racing ATV sat up first. Sand-colored fur coved lean muscles along his arms and legs. His thick black hair was slicked back, though a few strands were rebelling against the gel and falling into his face. Speaking of his face, he had a sarcastic set to his mouth. He had sleepy eyes that were a very familiar shade of green. The other guy was a tank. Chocolate-brown fur stretched over broad shoulder and muscles that toed the line between attractive and disturbing. His blond hair was a mess on his head, sticking up everywhere. His mouth had a natural upward tilt at the corners. He had deep-set eyes that were the same shade as his friends.

  
The same shade that Throttles eyes used to be.

  
Speaking of Throttle, I heard him gasp. I saw him take a step back and clench his fists. He was staring at these two guys, as though he wished he had some kind of laser vision. I could hear him almost growl as the two got to their feet. They looked around for a moment, clearly still dazed, before focusing on us. They looked at each of us in turn, their eyes finding Throttle last. I saw the spark of recognition in their eyes as they saw him. They looked at each other, sharing a surprised grin, before turning back to us. And then they said something that nearly knocked me to the ground.

  
"Hey there, baby brother."


	19. Chapter 19

_Whirlwind_

  
Did they just say "baby brother?" Wait a moment. . .

  
"Jet. Axel. What are you doing here?" Throttle asked flatly, keeping his anger in check.

  
Why did he sound so mad?

  
"We were actually kind of on our way to look for you. And hello, by the way." The racer, Jet I think, said, waving.

  
"Why were you looking for me? And if you were, why were you attacking my bros?" Throttle asked, still on defense.

  
"Come on, Throttle, we didn't recognize them. Modo, Vinnie, you've grown up a lot since the last time we saw you." I'm guessing Axel said to the others.

  
"Don't speak to my friends. Why did you attack them?"

  
"Sorry, baby brother, but they were about to ride right into a concealed chasm." Jet said, hands on his hips, "We hit the rat by mistake. Sorry, buddy!" he added, looking at Ajax.

  
"What?"

  
"Look over there. See where the sand looks lighter in color over there, right beside where we were circling you?" Axel asked, pointing.

  
I looked where he was pointing. Well, yeah, the sand does look different. On a whim, I levitated a large rock over there and dropped it. It made a crunching sound and all the sand sunk into a huge crack in the landscape. And we didn't hear the rock hit the bottom for quite a few seconds.

  
"That would have been bad. Still, you could've said something." I said, looking back at them.

  
"Yeah. . . Didn't really think about that. Adrenaline was pumping. Not really thinking too clearly." Axel said, scratching the back of his neck.

  
"You can say that again. You could've really hurt someone. You nearly took out my brother!" Kion called from where he was patching Ajax up.

  
"Sorry! We said it was an accident. Ow. Those bikes of yours pack a punch." Jet said, rubbing his head.

  
"Good. Serves you right for scaring us half to death. Where are your helmets?" I asked, crossing my arms.

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
. . .

  
"I told you we were forgetting something." Axel said, smacking his forehead.

  
"Wait a second. . . Black fur, big blue eyes, sweet voice. . . You must be Whirlwind." Jet said, smiling at me.

  
"Oh, yeah! Throttle used to tell us about you all the time. Couldn't get him to shut up, actually. Nice to meet you. Wish it was under better circumstances." Axel added, smirking.

  
"Don't speak to her. Well, you kept us from falling into that hole so you can go now." Throttle said, stepping in front of me slightly and glaring daggers at them.

  
"Wait a minute, baby brother. We said we were looking for you. There's a reason. We need your help." Jet said, urgency in his voice.

  
"What for?"

  
"It's dad. He's in deep trouble." Axel said.

  
"What do I care? You know how I feel about the old man."

  
"We know, Throttle. But it's not just him that's in trouble. It's our little sister." Jet said, pleading.

  
"What? We don't have a little sister."

  
"Yes we do. Amanda had her four years ago before she passed." Axel said.

  
"So she's her kid? No wonder I've never heard of her."

  
"We know it's a sore topic, Throttle. But she's still our blood, your blood. She's special. Here, look at this picture." Jet said, handing Throttle a photo.

  
I looked at the photo over Throttle's shoulder. Aw. A little baby, no older than three years old. She had fur the exact same color as Throttle's and hair just a few shades darker.

She had the biggest bright green eyes.

"That can't be right. Did you edit this photo?" Throttle asked, looking intently at the little girl.

  
"No. The picture's genuine." Axel said, crossing his arms.

  
"But. . . Amanda had brown eyes. So does the old man. These are. . ."

  
"Yeah. Those are mom's eyes. She has mom's eyes, Throttle. Her name is Aurora. She looks just like our mother, doesn't she?" Jet asked, pleading.

  
Throttle didn't say anything for a while. He just stared at the photo. I could tell he was seeing his mother in that little girl. He showed me a picture of her once and I had to say that this little Aurora was the spitting image of her. The conflict must be terrible for him, though.

  
"What happened?" Throttle asked, finally.

  
"Will you help us save her?" Axel asked, eyes full of hope.

  
"Yes. But you need to tell me what happened first."

  
I could see the relief in their eyes and body language. These guys didn't seem too bad, really. They obviously cared about their little sister.

  
"Okay. Aurora was playing outside a few days ago and we heard something. We all rushed outside to see this squeaky human grabbing her. We ran to get her away from him, but he held a blaster to her head. He gave us an ultimatum at that point." Jet said, his fists clenched.

  
"He said either dad went with him or we would never see Aurora again. He'd either have dad for what he called a 'project' or he'd have Aurora. Dad went with him in a blink. He didn't hesitate. But this bastard knocked dad out and took him and Aurora on his truck thing, screaming about insurance or something. We tracked him for at least two days before we lost sight of him. Then we went to find you. And you know the rest, I guess." Axel finished, wringing his hands.

  
This sounded really familiar. Scarily familiar.

  
"What did this guy look like?" I asked, dreading the answer.

  
"He looked like a mad scientist you'd see in a cartoon. Goggles, lab coat, almost bald. Very annoying squeaky voice." Jet said, shrugging.

  
Without a word, I reached into Kou's seat and pulled out my sketchbook. After a few moments of sketching, I ripped out the page and handed it to Jet.

  
"This the guy?" I asked, my voice deliberately even.

  
"Yeah! That's the guy! You know him?" Jet asked.

  
"Unfortunately. He's the one who kidnapped me twelve years ago and kept me captive. Twelve years of experiments and torture. If he thinks he's going to do the same thing to that sweet little girl, he's got another thing coming." my voice was dangerously low.

  
It was decided. Throttle, Vinnie, Modo, and I would go with Jet and Axel to search for Karbunkle. The others would organize troops to back us up when we find it. No doubt the psycho has a fleet of robogoons on his side. We would need the backup. We all split up and our group headed farther into the desert. We were riding in a fan formation, covering as much ground as possible.

  
"Any idea what we should be looking for?" Vinnie asked, looking around.

  
"If I know Karbunkle, and I should, his base would be subtle. Something you wouldn't expect. Remember the silo?" I said, keeping my eyes forward.

  
"What about a giant-ass sand dune?" Axel asked.

  
"That could work. Why?"

  
"Because I see a giant-ass sand dune."

  
I looked to where he was pointing. Oh. Yeah, I think that dune could be suspicious. We rode up to it and I dismounted. I walked up to the base of the dune and ran my hand along it. Yep. That was not sand. Keeping my hand on the "dune," I walked along the side of it. Then I found what I was looking for. A change in texture. A door. I beckoned the others over.

  
"Looks like this is the entrance. Modo, call for the others. I have a feeling we're going to need this backup. Just tell them to wait for the signal. Now, I think we should go ahead and get in there. We'll leave a note telling them where to enter and what the signal will be. We need to get in there. Ready?" I asked, looking at everyone.

  
"Ready." Axel said, nodding.

  
"Ready." Jet agreed.

  
"Let's do it." Vinnie cracked his knuckles.

  
"The others are ready, so am I." Modo nodded.

  
"Let's get in there." Throttle's tail was twitching.

  
"Alright. Let's go." I said, motioning for our bikes to stay outside until we needed them.

  
Ever so gently, I edged the door open just enough to let us all through. We went down a set of stairs and along a long hallway. This layout was really familiar. Did Karbunkle have no creativity at all? This was the exact same layout as under the old silo. Which meant I knew where to go. A few lefts and a right and we were. . . Oh man.

  
"Uh. . . Guys. . . This room looks pretty bad." Axel said, shrinking away from the blood-covered walls.

  
"Heh. This is nothing compared to the place I left behind. But yeah, it is pretty bad. Especially given how old your father is. And how young Aurora is." I said, touching one of the blood splatters. Sticky, "Still relatively fresh. Actually, bros, I'd get closer to the center of the room. Now."

  
We huddled, backs together, in the center of the room. As if on que, the walls started to expand. In fact, it seemed that the entire construction was changing around us. Until the room resembled a large arena. And, at the front of the room, a balcony extended from the wall. Here comes my favorite person. Favorite person to hate.

  
"I knew you meddlesome mice would show up sooner or later." Karbunkle said from the balcony.

  
"Like we'd leave a kid with you, you Frankenstein reject." I called back, my fists clenching.

  
"Where's Aurora?!" Jet and Axel shouted together, their eyes flashing.

  
"Try looking up." Karbunkle said, pointing toward the domed ceiling.

  
Looking up, we saw something that made our hearts drop. There, hanging by a chain, was a plexiglass cage. Inside the cage was a tiny figure, huddled on her side and looking down at us. Even from this distance, I could see the brilliance of her eyes.

  
"AURORA!" Axel, Jet, and Throttle shouted, rage filling their voices.

  
"Give her back, you twisted bastard!" I called, my fur bristling.

  
"No one puts kids in danger when we're around!" Vinnie yelled, getting a flare ready.

  
"Defeat my robots, and I may consider it." Karbunkle said, snapping his fingers.

  
And the room was filled with robots. Saw that one coming. Good thing we have backup. Levitating a piece of broken machinery, I sent it through the roof. That did the trick. We heard shouts and engines revving. Then, our troops burst through the walls. No surprise that my grandparents were there, but seeing them ride in side-by-side with rats from Kieran's clan made my heart soar. Our bikes were at our sides in an instant.

  
"Alright, bros, this is it! Time to take this creep out for good! LET'S ROCK. . ." I started, mounting my bike.

  
"AND RIDE!" everyone in the room cheered together.

  
Together, we all laid waste to the robots. One of them nearly hit Grandpa, but the thing got it back with interest from Grandma. The robots kept coming and we kept smashing them down. Then, out of nowhere, the granddaddy of all of them came to play. And made the biggest mistake it could have made. It fired at, and hit, my Grandma and Grandpa. They went down and my temper went up. With an unholy roar, I used all my strength to hurl the broken husks of the other robots at this one. There was a blast and we were all knocked to the ground.

  
Once the smoke cleared, we saw that the room was no longer full of robots. Karbunkle had run out.

  
"We've won, Karbunkle! Give us the girl!" I shouted, pulling Grandma to the edge of the room. Carbine, who had come along with them, pulled Grandpa up beside her.  
"Not quite, my pesky little project. I still have my last resort! This is what you were supposed to be!" Karbunkle called, pressing a button on a remote he pulled from his pocket.  
Oh, man. This was deja vu. Again. A platform raised from the ground. On it was a very large male mouse. He had red-brown fur running over lean muscles, brown hair that seemed to be receding, and brown eyes that were glazed over. He was wearing a headband of some sort.

  
"Dad!" Axel and Jet called. Throttle just bit his lip.

  
"Let me guess. That's an 'improved' version of my old helmet." I said, getting ready for whatever was to come.

  
"You would be correct. And I improved on my elixir. He's stronger than you, heals faster, and can be controlled. An all-around perfect living weapon. And he came courtesy of my newest associates. Come forward, friends, and take a bow." Karbunkle cackled, stepping aside.

  
At first, all I saw was a pair of shadows. I couldn't comprehend it at first. I mean, I knew they were terrible. But I never thought they would be downright evil. The people on that balcony. The ones who apparently sold Throttle's father and little sister to Karbunkle.

  
I was looking at my parents.


	20. Chapter 20

_Whirlwind_

  
This can't be happening. There's no way my parents were this bad. They were bad, but they weren't evil.

  
"Mom. Dad. What's going on?" Carbine asked, coming up beside me.

  
"We didn't mean for you to see this, dear." Mother said, crossing her arms.

  
"But we did what we had to do." Father added, placing an arm around Mother.

  
"For what? What's worth this?!" Carbine was nearly in tears now.

  
"We had to do something to erase the biggest mistake of our lives." Mother said, ice in her voice.

  
"That would be me, I'm guessing." I said, my fists clenching.

  
"Exactly. And we'll do whatever it takes to make sure you are out of our fur forever. Carbine, get back. We don't want you getting hurt." Father said, stepping back a bit.

  
"I won't! Whirlwind is my sister! She's your daughter! How can you do this?! You've treated her like shit since the day she was born! For thirteen years, you never showed her even the tiniest shred of love! And as soon as she came home after twelve years of whatever that wacko put her through, you beat her up! Still, you don't give her anything but hate! I can't believe I've stood by you all these years. Not anymore! I'm standing with my sister!"

  
"Thank you, Carbine. But I'd rather you and the others stand back. I have my healing abilities and strength. Everyone! Get back and hug the walls! I don't want anyone getting caught in the crossfire!" I called to everyone in the room.

  
I meant it. If this guy had to be fought, I'd rather do it myself. And it looked like he was ready for a brawl. I really didn't want to hurt him. He's Throttle's father, after all. But he has to be in pain. I know that pain. I remember how many times I wished for death to take me away from it all. And he's old. Old enough to have three sons, the oldest of which is twenty-nine years old. I won't kill him if I can avoid it.

  
Karbunkle activated the headband. And the fight began. I knew he wasn't aware of what he was doing, but he was a pretty good fighter. And he could pack a punch. He got me in the chest at one point and I was on the ground for a moment. Think he cracked a rib. I hated it when my bones had to heal in the middle of a fight. This was grueling. He healed faster than I did. And his strength was off the charts. I was barely a match for him. I think we were exactly the same strength level.

  
Wait a moment. His healing factor was really, really fast. Too fast. Whenever I heal, my heart speeds up to compensate for it. If he was healing this quickly every time he was hurt. . . He's at serious risk for heart failure. The only things that the elixer won't heal are natural life-threatening ailments like a heart attack. I didn't want to do this. But the way things are going, I didn't have a choice. My clothes were already twice-soaked with blood and I was getting tired. We were in a standoff, both trying to push the other back.

Oh man, I'm not going to like this.

  
As soon as he tried to push me back, I reared my head back and smashed my forehead into his. Ow! Nobody wins with a headbutt. But it had the desired effect. I gave him a concussion and broke the headband. That would take a bit to heal. I used my tail to trip him up, making him fall right onto a shard of broken robot. Finally, I ran up and grabbed the headband. I felt for the release button and pressed it. Throwing the thing away, I checked the guy over. His eyes were tired, but they were clearing up. But he was fading. There was nothing I could do for him except get justice for what was done to him.

  
I stood and faced Karbunkle. He had nowhere to go now. The battle earlier had destroyed his teleporter pad. He was shaking in his boots. And so were my parents. I levitated the flattest pieces of shrapnel I could find to make stairs. As soon as I stepped foot on the balcony, Karbunkle crumbled into a shivering heap. I used a strip of scrap metal to form makeshift handcuffs and tied him up. I did the same with my parents. After I got them to ground level, I dragged Mother and Father over to my granparents' bodies.

  
"Look, Mother. Look at what you've both done. You've caused the deaths of your parents. You almost caused the deaths of at least a hundred innocent people. You've made an innocent little girl an orphan. You brought Karbunkle here, this is your fault. I never thought you were capable of this." I said, tears in my eyes as I closed my grandparents' eyes.

  
Speaking of Aurora. I broke the chain keeping her up there as easily as I could and gently got her down to the ground. I broke the lock on the cadge and opened the door.

  
"Hey there, little one. I'm Whirlwind. It's alright, you can come out now." I said, offering her my hand.

  
"Thank you, Miss. Is Papa going to die?" she asked, climbing into my arms.

  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. He's been though a lot. His body can't keep up anymore."

  
I walked her over to her brothers. Axel and Jet all but smothered her with kisses. And then Throttle came up.

  
"Are you Throttle?" Aurora asked, looking at him.

  
"Yeah, hon. I'm Throttle. Are you Aurora?" Throttle asked, bending down slightly to look her in the eyes.

  
"Yes, I'm Aurora. You're my big brother. Jet and Axel told me about you. You don't like Papa?"

  
"I. . . I was just a dumb teenager. I'll tell you the whole story when you're older."

  
"Guys. I'm sorry, but I think it's time to say goodbye. He won't last much longer." I said, looking at their father.

  
He was looking at us, reaching out as best he could. We walked over and kneeled beside him. I put Aurora down next to him.

  
"Hello, my sweet little angel. I'm sorry Papa couldn't protect you." he said, stroking her face.

  
"It's okay, Papa. I know you were too old." she said, smiling weakly. He laughed a little.

  
"Yeah. Jet, Axel, take care of yourselves, alright?"

  
"We will, Dad." Jet answered for them both.

  
"And Throttle. My dear boy. I know we haven't been on the best of terms since your mother passed, but I never stopped loving you. There's no one I'd rather trust with your little sister. Please, take care of her. Please."

  
"I will. . . Pops. I'm sorry for everything. I was stupid. Would you forgive me?" Throttle asked, taking his father's hand.

  
"My boy, there is nothing to forgive. And you, my dear, must be Whirlwind."

  
"Yes sir. I'm sorry for everything. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me." I said, my ears drooping a bit.

  
"Now, don't blame yourself for the faults of your parents. If anything, it's that scientist that caused all this. You're an angel. The way Throttle used to talk about you says that clearly. Take care of my boy, will you? True love is so rare and should not be taken for granted. Help him care for Aurora. Please."

  
"Absolutely."

  
"Thank you. Now. . . Now I can rest. . ."

  
And he was gone. Jet and Axel carried him to lay next to my grandparents. They were wrapped in cloth and laid carefully onto the backs of Carbine's, Jet's, and Axel's ATVs. I held on to Aurora as we all headed out of this base. It took us the rest of the day to get back home. Over the next few weeks, Karbunkle and my parents were tried and prosecuted. They were now behind bars where they couldn't hurt anyone. My granparents and Throttle's father were also put to rest in those weeks. And, without our parents hovering so close, Carbine and I were able to get to know each other like I've wanted to for years.

  
Throttle and I also bonded with Aurora. She was an amazing little girl. Heh. I felt more like a parent than anything. Throttle said that didn't sound like such a bad thing. I've been told that I was a natural motherly figure. But I never really took it to heart. Well, Mars seemed to finally be at peace. But we knew better than to lower our guard. There will always be something out there that threatens our freedom. But there will also always be Freedom Fighters to defend against them.

  
And with me and my bros fighting with them, I knew we would always come out on top.


	21. Epilogue

A group of five young mice were gathered around a statue in the middle of the Freedom Fighters Academy courtyard. It was a sunny December day, despite how cold it was. The statue was of the best group of Freedom Fighters Mars had ever seen. And the young mice gathered around it looked at the figures with admiration.

  
Melody Charlene was one of the oldest of the group. Twenty-five years old with tan fur and onyx hair styled in a bob. Her eyes were a vibrant shade of green. She had a crooked smile and a strong sense of justice. She inherited her mother's temper, but her father's patience. If that makes sense. She makes for a difficult person to understand. But an amazing one to have in your corner.

  
Matthias Stoker was Melody's twin brother. Born only three minutes after his sister, he had chocolate-colored fur and tan hair that parted naturally over his right eye. His eyes were a beautiful deep blue. He had his father's cool attitude, but his mother's protective nature. His smile was always genuine. He never smiled if he didn't mean it. He's easy to get to know. And if you make friends with him, you've made a friend for life.

  
Marie Poppy was the middle child. Twenty years old with sand-colored fur and ink-black hair that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were the same color as her older sister's. She had a permanent smile, one that could get a lark to leave the nest. But if that smile ever faded, you knew someone was in trouble. She had a naturally motherly nature, always caring for those weaker than herself. She was shy, it took a while to get to know her. But she would always have your back once you broke through her shell.

  
Vincent Modoom was one of the youngest of the group. Fifteen-years-old with ink-black fur and tan hair that stuck up everywhere. He had complete heterochromia, which meant his eyes were different colors. His left eye was a beautiful deep blue, while his right eye was a vibrant green. He was very protective over his friends, so he was a faithful ally. It may take a while, but once you get to know him, he's a very gentle and caring friend.

  
Annabelle Surge was Vincent's twin sister. Born almost five minutes after her brother, she had ink-black fur and tan hair that came down to her knees. She usually kept it in a high ponytail. Her eyes were different colors as well. Only they were flipped. Her left eye was the vibrant green while her right eye was the deep blue. Being the youngest of the siblings, she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder. She was always striving to prove herself. She was energetic and often headstrong, but she had a deep respect for all life and strove to protect it. She was relatively easy to understand, but often painfully shy without her twin. She was a loyal and steadfast friend.

  
They were the children of Throttle and Whirlwind, famed Freedom Fighters and heroes of Mars. They, along with their best friends, Vincent, Modoom, and Charlene helped free Mars from the tyranny of the Catatonians. Those felines took advantage of Mars' weakened state and tried to take over just as the Plutarkians did. And, during the final battle that finally freed Mars from tyranny for good, the heroes of Mars were killed in the line of duty. That was five years ago to the day. Every year since then, these children came to pay their respects to their beloved mother and father. And their godparents. Yeah, Throttle and Whirlwind couldn't choose between them, so they made all of them godparents. Their great-uncle Stoker was among them in the statue as well. They had never gotten to really get to know him, he died of a heart attack while test driving one of his new bikes when Melody and Matthias were only three years old. They'd heard stories of him from their family, though, and held him in high regard.

  
Their aunt, Carbine, was constant in their lives as well. Though she was awkward around them, having never had children of her own, it was clear that she loved them. Their uncles Jet and Axel were more comfortable around them. They had survived the war with minor injuries. Jet lost part of his ear and tail while Axel lost an arm. But they didn't let that stop them. They were textbook fun uncles. Their aunt Aurora was a little more mature, but still made them smile. She was actually an instructor in the Academy now, teaching future Freedom Fighters how to steel their minds against control.

  
They were the best students in the Academy, their parents' training seemingly passed down through their blood. It helped that Carbine had given them their mother's journal at their funeral. In it, Whirlwind had catalogued her life. Her story. With little snippets added in from Throttle. They were like carbon copies of Throttle and Whirlwind. They strove every day to make their parents proud. Together. You could never find one of them alone. There was always at least two siblings together. That's why they always came to this statue every year on the exact same day. It also happened to be their mother's birthday.

  
"We love you, Mama. We love you, Papa." Melody said, her eyes starting to water as she gently stroked the silver rope necklace resting on her collarbone. They all took turns wearing the heirloom.

  
"Vinnie, Modo, Charley, Stoker, we love you, too." Matthias added, a hand over his heart.

  
"We hope we're making you proud." Marie said, looking intently at the bronze model of her father's face.

  
"We'll never stop fighting for freedom." Vincent and Annabelle said together, gripping each other's hands.

  
With that, they walked back to their bikes and mounted them. Neither of them had Kou or any of the other bikes. They had been retired for good, kept in the garage and cared for by all five of the next generation. As they rode off together, Melody raised her left fist into the air.

  
"Alright, ready?" she called through the com-link in her helmet.

  
"Ready." four voices said at once.

  
Three. . .

  
Two. . .

  
One. . .

  
"RIDE FREE CITIZENS!" they cried together as they rode through the streets.

  
Bystanders cheered as they rode by. Whether they witnessed their parents' exploits first-hand or heard the stories, they knew these children. They knew their legacy would live on for generations to come. The mouse believed to be a demon turned out to be one of Mars' greatest heroes. And everyone cheered with joy as these children rode by every year and practically sang their predecessors' signature battle cry.

  
"Alright bros! LET'S ROCK. . ." Melody started, raising her fist again.

  
"AND RIDE!"

  
The five siblings rode off home as the sun set on the faces of Mars' future.


End file.
